Juneteenth was officially recognized as a federal holiday last year, but many cities around the U.S. are still figuring out how best to commemorate the events of June 19, 1865, when Union Gen. Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, and informed enslaved African Americans that they were free (two years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation). In Central Texas, though, the roots of Juneteenth were firmly planted long ago, and on Saturday, families from across the area gathered for a parade and festival.
Saturday’s events were as hot as you’d expect on a June afternoon in Austin (triple-digit temperatures, anyone?), but the scorching temperatures didn’t slow anyone down from coming together to observe an uniquely Black, Texan holiday in style. Below, see photos from the day.
