Juneteenth celebration in East Austin

Juneteenth celebration in Austin

Community members in East Austin gathered to celebrate Juneteenth. There were plenty of activities, including a parade and live music.

AUSTIN, Texas - Community members in East Austin gathered to celebrate Juneteenth. There were plenty of activities, including a parade and live music.

Juneteenth celebration in Austin

The backstory:

Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when the last enslaved people in Galveston finally got the news they were free, two years after the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863. 

"It's important to me because if we don't celebrate or remember, then we forget and history repeats itself, so I think it's good that we have this, and it's such a big event, so even the little ones know that this happened," attendee Eden Miller said.

The vibrant festivities were a delight for all ages.

"I love all the dancing and the colors and the unity and the happiness, it's just so beautiful," attendee Marronnica Hatcher said.

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"The music, the happiness that it brings us all together and just the experience of being here," attendee Haley Gregory said. 

For some, it was also their first taste of an Austin Juneteenth, and there's more than one reason to celebrate.

"I've really been enjoying seeing all the people out for Juneteenth, especially today is my birthday. I'm new to Austin, so this is my first time experiencing it," attendee Tamala Oakes said. "It just means a lot to learn about, hearing about our enslaved ancestors getting the message two years later from when the legislation was passed and just being able to still celebrate it and carry that forward as part of our ancestry."

The holiday also represents the country's second Independence Day.

"We're celebrating this because we're free and the chains are broken, and we're going to keep those chains broke," Hatcher said. "Peace, keep love, let's stay united as America, it doesn't matter about color or race, it doesn't matter about Democrat or Republican, we're all Americans, and we need to stay together and stand together."

This was Austin's 27th annual Juneteenth celebration.