Juneteenth Celebrations In Jersey City

JERSEY CITY, NJ — Juneteenth is known as the longest-running African American holiday and is coming up on Saturday.

The holiday recognizes the day that federal troops made it to Galveston, Texas, in 1865 to alert slaves that the Civil War was won by the Union and that all enslaved people were now free. The news came two years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation.

Today, the holiday serves as a celebration of African American history and culture.

In Jersey City, a festival will be held at Berry Lane park on June 19 and several community events are planned in the days leading up to the holiday. Starting on Wednesday, the library will host a virtual conversation about the history of the holiday. The conversation will be from 2 to 3 p.m. on Facebook Live. The Marian Branch of the library is offering Juneteenth crafts to do at home as well.

The African Cultural Arts Family Festival is scheduled for Saturday from 1 to 7 p.m. at Berry Lane Park. Live music, food and entertainment will fill the day. Entertainment includes Innovative Demand Drill Team & Drum, Spektrum Afrikans Dancers & Drummers, Roc & the Collective, and Geovanni Arenciba & the Afro/Cuban Jazz Band. The rain date is scheduled for June 26.