Lancaster Juneteenth Celebration: It’s a Family Reunion

Lancaster, Ca.-Join us on Sunday, June 19 for the inaugural, community-sponsored Lancaster Juneteenth Celebration: It’s a Family Reunion! The City, local businesses, and organizations such as Boss Kids Braiding Academy, the Antelope Valley Chapter of the NAACP, Natural Givers, and residents of the Antelope Valley have come together to plan this important celebration. Although President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863 to “free all persons held as slaves,” it was not until two and a half years later on June 19, 1865 when Federal troops marched into Galveston, Texas, that slaves in the last Confederate state learned of their freedom. This milestone event, followed by the passage of the 13th Amendment, officially marked the end of slavery in the United States. Our community partners invite you to join them in establishing the celebration of Juneteenth as a Lancaster tradition. Because the holiday coincides with Father’s Day this year, the event also honors fathers through the Black family reunion tradition. Following emancipation, reunions emerged as a way for former slaves to reconnect with family members they had been separated from. Today, reunions continue as an intergenerational celebration of community, fellowship, and heritage. Although COVID-19 prevented everyone from reuniting with family and friends the last two years, we invite all members of the community to attend this free, “family reunion” style celebration of freedom and fatherhood. The celebration will include an early morning worship service, educational programming on Juneteenth, family-friendly games and activities, food, music, dancing, a car show competition, and so much more. Break out your matching family t-shirts, grab your picnic blanket, and let’s come together in the spirit of family, community, and most importantly, freedom.