“It feels good to see as many people gathered here today, as far as Black and brown people,” said Shyhiem Holland, one of the performers. “When I come here, it’s people here like me, and I don’t have to worry about my surroundings.”
Juneteenth is a celebration of freedom and commemorates June 19, 1865, the day that federal soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas, announcing that the Civil War had ended and those who were enslaved were now free.
The Long Beach Post is proud to sponsor this year’s inaugural Juneteenth celebration in Downtown Long Beach. If you weren’t able to get tickets to the sold-out event, catch the live stream right here.
Long Beach will mark Juneteenth—now designated as a federal holiday—with performances, vendors and more at a large in-person event Downtown, and other events throughout the city and beyond.
In recognition of Juneteenth, we’ve reached out to local scholars and bookstore owners for their book recommendations.
