Most now know Juneteenth as the celebration of the bondage of slavery in the Confederate States ending in Texas on June 19, 1865, with the reading of an executive order by the Union army. This was nearly two and half years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued on January 1, 1863, and nearly three weeks after the surrender by the Confederacy on June 2, 1865. Many Southerners had escaped the sieged South to Texas and over 250,000 slaves in Texas were now free. Can you imagine the celebration?!
Juneteenth, also referred to as Emancipation Day, has been celebrated throughout the United States since that first day of freedom, traditionally on the third Saturday of June – celebrations of all types and sizes. The holiday is considered the “longest-running African-American holiday”and has been called “America’s second Independence Day” Although acknowledged as a holiday previously in most States, on June 17, 2021, President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law.
This year on the third Saturday of June, June 17, 2023, Peace Lutheran Church in collaboration with the Marysville organization, Lifting Others Forward Together (“LOFT”) is honored to hold the event: FREEDOM – a Juneteenth Celebration.
The evening will begin at 6:30pm in the Fellowship Center at Peace located at 828 W. Main Street in Grass Valley. Speakers will include Gwen Ford of LOFT on “The significance and legacy of Juneteenth”; and Linda Jack of the Nevada County Historical Society on “The history of other freedom festivals in Nevada County.”
There will be homemade desserts and we will celebrate together freedom for all.
This is a Free event with donations gratefully accepted to Benefit Women of Worth (WoW) and LOFT.
For more information, please contact Peace Lutheran Church:
Phone: 530.273.9631 Email: pastor@peacelutherangv.org