Thousands Attend Juneteenth Celebration In West Philadelphia
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- To commemorate the end of slavery, the Pennsylvania Juneteenth Initiative held a huge celebration at Malcolm X Park in West Philadelphia on Saturday. Juneteenth is the oldest celebrating commemorating the abolition of slavery in the United States.
Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, which is the date when Union soldiers landed in Texas with news that the Civil War had ended and all slaves were freed.
Thousands of people were in attendance for the event that started with a breakfast to honor ancestors.
That breakfast was followed by a parade down 52 Street, which was renamed Muhammad Ali Way.
A music festival capped off the event at the park and offered a way for attendees to embrace history and bond as a community.
On June 19, Gov. Tom Wolf declared Juneteenth a Pennsylvania holiday.