A celebration of freedom, heritage and unity was held by El Pasoans as part of the “Our Bonds of Freedom, Nuestros Lazos de Libertad” Juneteenth event.
Families, friends and neighbors came together Thursday, June 18; the event provided residents with an opportunity to reflect on the meaning of freedom and commemorate an important moment in history, the organizers said.
The free event was held on Thursday, June 18, at Pebble Hills Park, by the Eastside Senior Center and El Paso Parks and Recreation.
The celebration was sparked by Madalyn Richardson, a participant at the Eastside Senior Center, who proposed the event after noticing a lack of representation of Black history and culture at the center.
“I had noticed that there wasn’t a lot of Black recognition throughout the center,” Richardson said. “We recognized everything else, so I wanted to create something that would celebrate our history and bring the community together.”
Juneteenth commemorates the day enslaved African Americans in Texas learned they were free more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued.
“Ever since then, they just celebrated the freedom,” Richardson said. “It’s not just an all-Black celebration, especially for the El Paso community. It involves everybody because we have a lot of history in helping the freed slaves.”
In addition to food and local vendors, attendees enjoyed live entertainment throughout the morning. A special performance by the Paso del Norte Big Band highlighted the event, creating a festive atmosphere for visitors of all ages.
The event aimed to educate residents about El Paso’s historical connection to freedom seekers and to bring the community together, Richardson said. She added that events like the Juneteenth celebration help younger generations become more aware of local history.
“This would be a great place to start,” Richardson said. “Just by participating in events like this, listening to the speakers and looking at the community come together.”
Richardson said she was encouraged by the turnout and positive feedback during the event’s first year.
“I think it’s just beautiful to see everybody come together enjoying themselves, learning history,” Richardson said. “People are happy to know what El Paso brought to the table.”
As the event concluded, organizers thanked attendees and supporters who helped make the celebration possible. The gathering gave the community an opportunity to celebrate culture, history and the enduring spirit of freedom.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: ‘Celebrate our history’: El Paso comes together to celebrate Juneteenth
Reporting by Diego Cruz-Castruita, El Paso Times / El Paso Times
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Diego Cruz-Castruita, El Paso Times | USA TODAY Network
