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Starting at 9 AM, Saturday, June 15, the Juneteenth celebration begins with a march lead by the Hubbub Band, from Santa Rosa’s Juilliard Park to Martin Luther King, Jr. Park, The FREE family event resumes at MLK Park, 1671 Hendley St. in Santa Rosa, 10:00 AM until 6:00 PM.
Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration commemorating the ending of slavery in the United States. Dating back to 1865, it was on June 19th that the Union soldiers, led by Major General Gordon Granger, landed at Galveston, Texas with news that the war had ended and that the enslaved were now free. Note that this was two and a half years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation – which had become official on January 1, 1863. The Emancipation Proclamation had a minor impact on the Texans due to the minimal number of Union troops to enforce the new Executive Order. However, with the surrender of General Lee in April of 1865, and the arrival of General Granger’s regiment, the, forces were finally strong enough to influence and overcome the resistance. Festivities include the San Francisco Band, Pride and Joy, Zumba, Drumming, and spoken word. Special Proclamations from the City of Santa Rosa and Sonoma County Board of Supervisors. There will also be an exciting 50/50 raffle with ongoing DJ music playing throughout the day. Come, enjoy the Live Entertainment, Food, Basketball Games, Arts and Crafts, Dominoes, Kids Activities, and more. Scholarship Presentation by Entrepreneurs of Tomorrow (EOT), specifically designed to provide support to local youth programs, mentoring, and scholarships for high school and college students. At this event, they will be providing three scholarships for students of Sonoma County. Also included will be historical artifacts along with a variety of vendors and live music. |
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