The meaning of Juneteenth and how Rochester celebrated
Jada Marie had always wished for a mentor or some guidance, so she attended Rochester's Juneteenth festival to provide that support for other young girls.
Marie, a licensed cosmetologist, stood at her vending booth displaying "Slay Academy," a curriculum designed to teach young Black girls and teenagers about natural hair care, braiding, and self-love.
"I just love the Black excellence and Black energy," she said.
For the third year in a row, on Saturday, June 15, locals celebrated Black energy with a Juneteenth festival in Martin Luther King Park, full of vendors, performances, and conversations about the past and future of Black Rochester.
What is the history of Juneteenth?
Juneteenth is an annual celebration marking the end of slavery in the United States.
On June 19, 1865, Union General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, to announce the freedom of enslaved African Americans.
Although the Civil War had ended two months earlier and President Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation had legally freed 3.5 million enslaved people in Confederate states two years prior, it remained unenforceable in the resistant South. It wasn't until federal troops occupied Galveston that Granger issued General Order No. 3, known as the Juneteenth Order, liberating the remaining enslaved Black people in Texas.
In recent years, Juneteenth celebrations have significantly increased across the United States.
Following the nationwide protests after the police killing of George Floyd in the summer of 2020, President Biden signed legislation in 2021 designating June 19 as a federal holiday.
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Juneteenth in Rochester
During Saturday's Juneteenth event, attendees posed for Polaroid pictures taken by Democrat and Chronicle staff members while engaging in meaningful conversations about the stories and issues they wanted to see covered in the newspaper.
Wayne Anderson and Jeanine Roberson sat on a ledge, decked out in Juneteenth-inspired attire, overlooking the crowd at Saturday's Juneteenth festival.
"I like checking out the diversity of Juneteenth power," Anderson said.
Along with the beautiful weather and people-watching, the two said they were excited to see Sevyn Streeter's performance.
Dawn Hobbs, a Flower City AmeriCorps Member Development Specialist, sat under her tent with other FCA members, eager to share information and upcoming events about human and public health services with the community.
"We want the community to know what civic service is," she said.
While the holiday celebrates the physical liberation of African Americans in this country, descendants now focus on achieving mental liberation in the face of new challenges.
Juneteenth in Rochester Rochester's Juneteenth raises serious issues, not just holiday fun
Justice Marbury is the 19th Ward Reporter. She loves her energetic puppy, Hiro. Contact her on Instagram @justice_marbury and by email at jmarbury@gannett.com.
— Madison Scott is a journalist with the Democrat and Chronicle who edited our Weld Street Project and also did reporting for it. She has an interest in how the system helps or doesn't help families with missing loved ones. She can be reached at MDScott@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: What is the history behind Juneteenth? How Rochester celebrated
