It’s the first year Juneteenth has been an official state holiday and only the fourth year as a federal holiday.
But that doesn’t make the day any less special. It marks the day in 1865 when enslaved Blacks in Galveston, Texas, finally learned of the freedom due to the Emancipation Proclamation issued by President Abraham Lincoln two years earlier.
PHOTOS: Millbrook celebrates Juneteenth
This was the second year for it to be celebrated in Millbrook through an event organized by the Sandtown Civic Improvement Association.
“It’s monumental just for it to be observed,” Millbrook city councilmember Jacquelyn Thomas said. “We have the independence of the United States celebrated with the Fourth of July. We now also have independence of the slaves honored and that's being recognized Gov. Kay Ivey with the state holiday. We're just glad to be able to carry on that same tradition by having a celebration.”
More than 100 people gathered at Millbrook’s Village Green Thursday. They sang, danced and ate. They remembered those who came before them and fought for voting rights, education and more.
“We are celebrating them all,” Thomas said. “But it started with the slaves. We hope to continue to do this and grow it. We will be back out here again next year.”
A Juneteenth celebration was held in Wetumpka’s Gold Star Park on Saturday as well.
