Los Angeles celebrates Juneteenth with parties and festivals honoring freedom
Juneteenth celebrations are underway across the U.S. and Los Angeles is no exception, with plenty of festivals and parties to honor the holiday that commemorates the end of slavery.
Since former President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth Independence Day Act in 2021, the federal holiday has been celebrated with vibrance and passion. The many events across Los Angeles County include a massive festival in Leimert Park, which includes live music, food, vendors, workshops and much more.
"As we establish Juneteenth as our newest national holiday, let us be clear about what happened on June 19, 1865, the day we call Juneteenth," former Vice President Kamala Harris said at the time. "They learned that they were free. And they claimed their freedom."
Among the many people honored as part of the festivities is Opal Lee, the Texas woman known as the "Grandmother of Juneteenth" for her years-long fight to make Juneteenth a federal holiday.
Dr. Marquita Gammage, a professor of Africana studies at Cal State University Northridge, joined CBS LA on Friday, June 19, to discuss the importance of the holiday and what it means in the ongoing fight for equality.
"Juneteenth marks the arrival of freedom and it celebrates liberation, resilience and Black humanity," Gammage said.
She said that it took over two years for the enslaved people of Galveston, Texas, to learn that slavery had ended as Union troops marched from city to city to make the declaration.
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When asked about the more recent recognition of the holiday, Gammage said that research actually showed that people had been celebrating Juneteenth for more than 160 years.
"Today, we're now celebrating the sixth year of it being an official national holiday," she said. "That was a lot of work; people like Opal Lee, and many community-based and grassroots organizations had been advocating for Juneteenth to be an official holiday because it really signifies the establishment of freedom and ensuring that it wasn't a short-term or temporary thing and that it became a permanent structure in American society."
She says that the holiday wasn't given, but fought for and won and that it must be protected and expanded, as part of a constantly ongoing process through the civil rights movement.
"We continue to see the need to address critical issues such as educational access, health equity, economic opportunities, voting rights ... criminal justice reform and reparations," Gammage said.
She said the best way to celebrate Juneteenth is through community, family and cultural affirmations.
"People celebrate by gathering with loved ones, going to festivals, supporting Black-owned businesses, learning about African American history and really reflecting up on the past and those who made sacrifices, and those achievements they've made," Gammage said. "It's not simply about looking backward, but about honoring Black culture, strengthening community bonds, as well as making sure that we continue to envision a just future."
