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The Rockbridge area’s Juneteenth celebration, LexRockBVJuneteenth happens on Saturday, June 15th in Lexington’s Richardson Park.
Juneteenth, a portmanteau of "June" and "19th," commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. It originated in Galveston, Texas, on June 19, 1865, when U.S. Army Gen. Gordon Granger arrived there to enforce the Emancipation Proclamation. Although President Abraham Lincoln had signed the proclamation nearly three years before, on Sept. 22, 1862, it was not immediately adopted across all states. Enforcement depended on the advancement of U.S. troops, which were scarce in remote Texas, so it became a final holdout. The enforcement of emancipation there after a long wait was truly cause for celebration.
The first Juneteenth celebration took place in Galveston on June 19, 1866, and it has since caught on across the country. Although it is not a federal holiday, only three U.S. states - Hawaii, North Dakota and South Dakota - have yet to recognize it as a state holiday. Virginia declared it a permanent paid state holiday in June 2020, and Lexington adopted it as a formal city holiday in 2021.
A reception on Friday, June 2, at the Nelson Gallery in downtown will be held in conjunction with the month-long Juneteenth Art Show, sponsored by Project Horizon.
On Saturday, June 15 the festivities get underway in the late afternoon, with food, prize events and music. Black-owned businesses and food trucks will be there.
For the most up to date information, go to Facebook and search Lex Rock BV Juneteenth. (Note spaces.)
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