Three short articles about what were apparently the earliest organized celebrations of Juneteeth in the Portland/Vancouver area. Maybe the "Emancipation Marathon" could be a real thing again, someday. (There's a literary marathon in Phoenix, Arizona, connected with Juneteenth, which is called by that name.)
From the Oregonian newspaper, June 14, 1944, p. 8:
Negroes to Picnic on 'Juneteenth'
Negroes of the Portland-Vancouver area will celebrate "Juneteenth," Negro emancipation day, Monday [June 19] at Cedarville park, six miles east of S. E. 82d avenue on the Powell valley road. It will be the first time that the day has been observed with an outing in this vicinity.
Feature of the occasion will be a barbecue. There will be dancing day and night, jitterbug contests, boxing, wrestling, races and a program of other athletic events for which prizes will be given.
The outing will begin at 8 A. M. and continue until 1 A. M. Tuesday.
***
From the Oregonian, June 11, 1944, p. 13:
'Juneteenth' Day Coming
Negro Holiday To Be Celebrated
Five hundred dollars in war bond prizes will be given the winners of a 14-mile marathon to be held Sunday, June 18, between Camas and Vancouver, Wash., as a feature of "Juneteenth" — the celebration of the 80th anniversary of Lincoln's emancipation proclamation.
"A holiday of deep meaning and importance to Negro people," said a member of the committee in charge of arrangements, "it has previously hardly been known in the northwest. With the thousands of southwestern Negroes in war work in this area, the program is attracting high interest."
[...]
Following the race at noon there will be picknicking in Leverich park, with a softball double-header at 2 P. M., with two American Youth for Democracy teams opposing one all-star boys' team and one all-star girls' team. There will be a war bond rally at the games.
Evening Program, Too
In the evening there will be a program in the Vancouver high school auditorium, at which the prizes will be awarded, with a pageant of American culture at 8 P. M.
Admission to the ball games and the pageant will be $1, plus the purchase of a war bond or stamp.
Arrangements are under the direction of the emancipation celebration committee of Vancouver and the American Youth for Democracy of Vancouver and Portland.
***
From the Oregonian, June 19, 1944, p. 19:
Stroude Captures Marathon Event
VANCOUVER, Wash., June 18 (Special) — Kelly Stroude won the first running of the Emancipation marathon here Sunday, covering the distance from Camas to Vancouver, 16 miles, in a respectable hour and 58 minutes.
Walter MacAfkill, New York, was second, being the only other runner to finish.
The race war run in connection with the "Juneteenth," well known Negro celebration, being held in the northwest for the first time this year.
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