T
he fourth annual Southern Colorado Juneteenth Festival will take place at America the Beautiful Park, on Cimino Drive south of the Colorado Avenue Bridge, from Friday, June 14, through Sunday, June 16. The free celebration features national artist headliners, local step-show talent, a car show, a fashion show and many games and activities.
Juneteenth has been called our nation’s “second Independence Day,” as it commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African-Americans in the United States.
The National Archives state that on June 19, 1865, two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln’s historic Emancipation Proclamation, U.S. Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger issued General Order No. 3, which informed the people of Texas that all enslaved people were now free.
That day has come to be known as Juneteenth, a combination of June and 19th. It is also called Freedom Day or Emancipation Day, and it is the oldest known celebration commemorating the end of slavery in the United States.
Colorado Springs Mayor Yemi Mobolade sent a statement to the Bulletin about the holiday.
“The Juneteenth holiday holds immense significance for our nation, and in our city, and our collective journey towards greater diversity and equality and greater freedom,” he said.
“As we commemorate this day in Colorado Springs, may we also reflect on our shared history, celebrate the achievements of African-Americans, and recommit ourselves to the ongoing fight for equality and justice, not just those from history, but all those countless individuals who are working to make a better world for all.”
Information: csjuneteenthfestival.com.