Annual Juneteenth Celebration

2023 JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION

Juneteenth, also known as Jubilee Day or Freedom Day, is the oldest national celebration marking the ending of slavery in the United States. Juneteenth has been commemorated since June 19, 1865 when the last slaves in Galveston, Texas finally learned they were free - over two years after the Emancipation Proclamation of January 1, 1863. Today the event is widely celebrated across the United States.

The South Coast Equity Coalition, in partnership with the Juneteenth Celebration Committee, is hosting Coos County’s Third Annual Juneteenth Celebration June 17th and 19th, 2023.

This year’s theme is Family Reunion. They chose this theme because for Black communities family reunions have centered around resilience through storytelling, visibility, joy and food.

The Celebration begins with a Keynote Address from Taylor Stewart of the Oregon Rememberance Project and includes a Family Reunion Reception and a showing of Disney Pixar’s “Soul” at the Egyptian Theatre. 

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

SATURDAY, JUNE 17th

Keynote Address - Taylor Stewart, Oregon Rememberance Project 
Coos History Museum - 11am-1pm 
A FREE discussion followed by Q&A at the Coos History Museum with Taylor Stewart.  Learn about Juneteenth and its historical ties to black communities and how resilience through equity is achieved. They will also be remembering the life of Alonzo Tucker. The Coos History Museum is located at 1210 N. Front Street, Coos Bay.

The Family Reunion Reception
Black Market Gourmet​​​ - 4pm-8pm
This FREE event brings together music, food, arts, crafts and activities for all ages!

• 4:30 pm - Reading of the Emancipation Proclamation by Zoey Acker
• 5:00 pm - Oregon’s Black Pioneers by Carolyn Acker  
• 5:30 pm - A Taste of Reliance by Chef Jardin Kazaar 
• 6:00 pm - Black National Anthem by Gold Meadows 
• 6:30 pm - Intermission (A lot of fun with music, food, and arts and crafts) 
• 8:00 pm - Closing of the Space (Call to Action) by Taylor Stewart

Black Market Gourmet is located at 495 Central Ave, Coos Bay, across from Coos Bay City Hall.

MONDAY, JUNE 19th

Disney Pixar’s Soul
Egyptian Theatre ​​​- 6pm
On the day of Juneteenth, a FREE showing of family friendly movie, Soul, a Disney Pixar film will be held at the Egyptian Theatre in downtown Coos Bay. The movie centers on Joe, a middle school band teacher who feels unfulfilled because his ambition is to be a full-time jazz musician. On the day he lands the biggest gig of his career, Joe nearly dies — but then gets the chance to return to his body if he can figure out the purpose of his life.

The South Coast Equity Coalition is a Regional Health Equity Coalition (RHEC), we are an autonomous, community-driven, and cross-sector group. We work by building on the inherent strengths of local communities to meaningfully involve them in identifying sustainable, long- term, policy, system and environmental solutions to increase health equity for communities of color, and those living at the intersection of race/ethnicity and other marginalized identities.