African Americans Mark 130-Year-Old Event : Culture: The fifth annual Juneteenth festival, which celebrates the freeing of the last slaves in America, concludes today in Oxnard.

Under a bright blue sky, Charlene Legohn sat on an even brighter blue blanket Saturday at Oxnard’s Community Park and watched her husband bang the congos and her daughter make a piece of barbecued chicken disappear.

“Mommy,” said 4-year-old Nailah, sauce smudged all over her tiny, ebony face, “give me a napkin.”

“Napkin?” said her mother. “You need a bath.”

But baths and such would have to wait. Legohn and her five children had come to Oxnard’s fifth annual Juneteenth festival to celebrate the freeing of the last American slaves 130 years ago.

The festival honors the mid-June day that black slaves in Texas got the word that slavery had ended. Texas, the farthest Western state with slaves, was the last to hear about the 14th Amendment--abolished 4 1/2 months earlier with the 14th Amendment.

The Legohn family--which also counts Yaminah, 9; Tasneem, 3; Raheesa, 2, and Jelani, 4 months--was among hundreds who came to Community Park on Saturday to enjoy food, entertainment and education focusing on the experience of African Americans.

Otieno Okatch, event co-chairman, said Juneteenth is a way for black residents across Ventura County to celebrate their freedom and history. And this year, he said, organizers have sought to do even more than that.

They have brought together a wide range of the county’s black community at this year’s event, which continues today at Heritage Square in downtown Oxnard.

For instance, Pan-Africa, a group that stresses black self-determinism, joined more traditional, integration-oriented groups in arranging this weekend’s events, said Okatch, himself a Pan-Africana.

“We are bringing black people together from different groups, from Pan Africanism to conservatives,” Okatch said.

Andrew Rucker, the other Juneteenth co-chairman and president of the Tri-Counties African American Chamber of Commerce in Oxnard, agreed that this year’s celebration is inclusive of the black community.

Rucker, who sold different types of T-shirts memorializing Juneteenth, said past celebrations in Oxnard were more limited to business organizations and fraternities and sororities.

“It’s exciting. The entertainment is great and everything is volunteer,” he said.

As children frolicked and adults took in the upbeat music near the center of the park, vendors hawked African garb and art. In addition to a large menu of soul food--from barbecued ribs to chicken--there were booths promoting more healthy diets and ways to improve exercise regimens.

Mary Vatal and Paul Wellins came to the park to represent The Fitness Prescription in Oxnard. After putting on a brief, but high-energy aerobics show under the blistering sun, the two went searching for something to cool them down. They spotted Tom Barber’s snow cone stand.

“That looks good,” Vatal, 29, said. She ordered some flavored ice and pronounced it OK for one’s figure.

“It’s fat-free,” she said.

On the other side of the park, things were a little more serious. Gary Windom, a Ventura County public defender, and members of his family were trying to help the celebrants empower themselves--with a voter-registration booth.

Okatch said the idea for the celebration is to give black residents the opportunity to get together, have fun, but at the same time realize the political, social and economic changes they need for success.

Today at Heritage Square, Juneteenth will honor four African American community leaders.

The honorees are Chuck Muncie, former football star and reformed drug addict who now runs the Port Hueneme Boys & Girls Club; Oxnard City Councilman Bedford Pinkard; Ventura College Vice President Irene Pinkard, and Ola Washington, a teacher of African American history at Ventura College.