The 4th Annual Juneteenth celebration will be held on Friday, June 19 in Bicentennial Park from 11 AM to 5 PM. The celebration is a joint venture between the Downtown Milford Inc. Multi-Cultural Committee, OutLoud and other community organizations.
“This is designed not only to celebrate the holiday but also to educate on African American history, heritage and freedom,” Darron Johnson-Wilson, coordinator of the event, said. “We will have presentations, youth activities, wellness stations, food trucks and more in the park where everyone will be welcome.”
Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, the day Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas. It was not until then that enslaved African Americans learned they were free, more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation. Although the holiday has been celebrated within African American communities for some time, it did not become an official federal holiday until 2021.
“We were very excited last year when such a large crowd gathered in Bicentennial Park,” Johnson-Wilson said. “Local community leaders, clergy members and historians provided insight into the history of this holiday, what it meant for equality and the continuing importance of preserving the meaning of Juneteenth.”
The event is free to attend. Anyone interested in learning more about the Downtown Milford Inc. Multicultural Committee can call 302-839-1180, send an email or visit Downtown Milford Inc. online.
