OXNARD : ‘Juneteenth’ Marks the End of Slavery
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It’s a tradition that Angela Childs Montgomery wants to pass on to her 6-year-old son.
Every year when she was living in the South, she attended the annual celebration of “Juneteenth,” a holiday marking the end of slavery.
So this year, Montgomery, who recently moved to Oxnard, brought Dean to the local celebration at the city’s Community Center Park.
Throughout the day, about 150 people attended the event, which included dancing, singing and food booths.
“It’s important that we come together so we keep that bond, or we’ll lose sight of who we are as a people,” Montgomery said.
On June 19, 1865, Gen. Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Tex., to force owners to free their slaves, 2 years and 9 months after President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation.
Today, many black families observe Juneteenth across the county or go to Galveston for church services and celebrations, usually on the weekend preceding the 19th.
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