ASHLAND, Ore. – Today is Juneteenth, a historic day that celebrates freedom and the beginning of African-Americans overcoming oppression in America.

Typically, the Oregon Shakespeare Festival (OSF) holds a large Juneteenth celebration in Ashland but because of COVID-19 restrictions, the large celebration was moved to a virtual event.

“The Juneteenth celebration here at OSF is always joyous and it’s always full of creativity and even though we’re not seeing people live and in-person, it’s no less creative,” said Christina Clark, an actor and producer for the Juneteenth virtual event.

Throughout the day today Black OSF artists have created and released content on all social media platforms, celebrating Black life and the meaning of Juneteenth.

This year, Juneteenth is seeing more attention than in years past, with recent protests and demonstrations throughout the nation bringing racial injustice to the forefront.

“I think Juneteenth happens to fall, this year, at a perfect time to be able to focus our energy on learning about our history, about sharing our history and sharing and celebrating with one another and amplifying the lives of Black folk,” said Clark.

Juneteenth has been referred to as a forgotten holiday because historically it is not widely acknowledged or celebrated by many Americans.

“Juneteenth is important because it’s a time to take a look at where we are today and to take actions towards what we want our tomorrow to look like,” said Clark.