PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) – Communities across the nation are celebrating Juneteenth today, marking the anniversary of Union soldiers arriving in Galveston, Texas, with news that the Civil War had ended and enslaved people were free. Recognized as a national holiday in 2021, Juneteenth commemorates a pivotal moment in American history.
Okaloosa County’s third annual Juneteenth Celebration was held at the Crestview Community Center. The event featured over 60 vendors, seven food trucks, and live performances by historically Black fraternities and sororities, the Crestview High School drum line, and a jazz band. Organizers estimated that nearly 1,000 people attended the festivities.
The celebration was packed with entertainment and an educational component called “Walk Through History.” Actors reenacted scenes leading up to Union Major General Gordon Granger’s announcement that freed the last 250,000 enslaved people in Galveston, Texas.
“I’ve seen all the big festivals across the nation, but nobody is telling the story. Nobody is explaining the history of Juneteenth. But we are going to do it for as long as they let us,” said an event organizer. “We get volunteers every year to tell the story of Juneteenth. Our motto is to walk through history, educate, and then celebrate.”
On June 19, 1865, all enslaved men and women in Texas were legally freed. Today, Juneteenth is a celebration of freedom.
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