Community celebrates Juneteenth with several events around Charlotte

CHARLOTTE, NC — From Uptown to University City, Juneteenth celebrations covered Charlotte on Thursday.

The story of Juneteenth began 160 years ago when Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas, to announce the freedom of enslaved African Americans.

It took two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed in Washington dc for the news to reach Texas.

In 2021, the Biden administration recognized June 19th as a national holiday.

At the Harvey Gantt Center people of all ages learned about the history of the momentous day.

For the second year in a row, the Juneteenth Art Fest in University City celebrated creativity, culture and community.

Thousands of people of all races showed their support for the young holiday and it’s impact.