On Saturday, June 18th, the Unit is sponsoring the Second Annual Prince William Juneteenth Community Celebration. The gathering will be held at Merchant Park, 3944 Cameron Street, Dumfries, VA 22026, adjacent to Weems- Botts Museum from 11 am to 3 pm. The event itself is free, and bar-b-que meals will be available to purchase. Activities include children’s games, youth activities, music dancing and inspirational presentations. The Juneteenth Celebration is a family-oriented event and the entire community is invited.
Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration commemorating the ending of slavery in the United States. Dating back to 1865, it was on June 19th that the Union soldiers, led by Major General Gordon Granger, landed at Galveston, Texas with news that the war had ended and that the enslaved were now free. This was two and a half years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation.
Click here for a flyer announcing the celebration. Please forward this announcement widely and post the flyer on community bulletin boards.
