Juneteenth may not be the oldest national holiday in existence, but in just the four years since its designation as such, it has become a holiday rich in culture, tradition and meaning.
In fact, the holiday carries a variety of meanings to a variety of individuals, including Tolbert Livingston, a featured speaker at the second annual Emporia Eastside Community Group’s community Juneteenth celebration held inside Eastside Park on Friday afternoon. Livingston, in an interview with KVOE News, stated that to him, Friday’s celebration was a sign that the ideals and teachings held by leaders such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. are coming to fruition in front of our eyes.
Livingston also says Juneteenth itself represents the importance of knowing and celebrating major milestones in American history, as that history serves as a road map to the future, which is being written each day.
For Eastside Community member Al Slappy, Friday’s celebration was a time to create connections among individuals of all walks of life, which he says is an important aspect of creating greater understanding and community amongst one another.
As for the holiday itself, Slappy stated it is his opinion that Juneteenth celebrates the trials and tribulations of all cultures that have and continue to call America their home.
Resident Johnny Ervin says he was very excited to be attending the celebration, as for him, Juneteenth is a time for discussion and education among residents, regardless of whether or not they may share the same opinions.
As has become tradition, the celebration was open to the entire community Friday and included food, drinks, music and more. Juneteenth commemorates the news of the Emancipation Proclamation reaching slaves in Galveston Bay, Texas, in 1865 – two years after it was signed by President Abraham Lincoln, officially marking the end of slavery in the United States.
Photos by Tagan Trahoon/KVOE NewsÂ
