Juneteenth celebrations in parks countywide honor Black culture

All 59 Los Angeles County parks will host events to mark Juneteenth, honoring the emancipation of enslaved Black Americans and celebrating Black culture, including one at Valleydale Park in Azusa on Thursday.

Juneteenth (the word combines “June” and “nineteenth,” the date in 1865 when Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas and announced that more than 250,000 enslaved Black people were free) is a federal holiday that recognizes freedom and the fight for equality, shared American history and the resilience and contributions of the Black community nationwide.

Supervisor Hilda Solis is unable to attend this year’s event, as she will be in Chicago for the dedication of the Obama Presidential Center.

“As the former Secretary of Labor under President Barack Obama and the first Latina to serve in the United States Cabinet, I am proud to be part of a historic milestone that reflects the progress made possible through generations of civic engagement and advocacy.”

Solis encouraged residents and families to participate in events in Azusa and elsewhere.

“Through educational workshops, cultural programming, and community activities, the celebration offers an opportunity to learn, reflect, and come together in recognition of a history that continues to shape our nation,” she said.

Around Los Angeles County, similar celebrations were held at George Washington Carver Park in Los Angeles, Jackie Robinson Park in Sun Village, El Cariso Community Regional Park in Sylmar, and Don Knabe Park in Cerritos.

In Altadena, My Tribe Rise presents a day party, art and exhibits from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, June 20, at Metropolitan Baptist Church, 2283 N. Fair Oaks Ave. while the Legacy Land Project assembled a vendor village and resource fair as well as an evening concert to benefit Eaton fire recovery.

The Altadena Historical Society was scheduled to honor the occasion with oral histories and scholarships at Loma Alta Park on June 19.