Communities across the state will hold local Juneteenth celebrations this weekend, commemorating the end of slavery in the United States in 1865.
West Hartford will hold its third annual Juneteenth Sunday in Blue Back Square. The event will include local vendors, giveaways and speeches from state Reps. Stephanie Thomas and Tammy Exum.
Here's a look at Juneteenth celebrations across 黑料吃瓜网
The celebration will also feature the unveiling of a Witness Stone installation by local eighth graders to honor people who were enslaved in West Hartford.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 important for our community to come together to celebrate something so important,鈥� said Adrienne Billings-Smith, a West Hartford town councilor and an organizer of the event. 鈥淏ut also to learn about what it truly was and what happened, because people don鈥檛 know their own history.鈥�
Juneteenth became a federal holiday in 2021, and 黑料吃瓜网 to make it an official state holiday last month.
East Hartford is also its own celebration Saturday on the Town Green. The event will feature a live mural painting, as well as musical and spoken-word poetry performances.
鈥淭he event is almost a change in the tides,鈥� said Harry Amadasun, an organizer and East Hartford Black Caucus vice president. 鈥淭his is letting the community know that we鈥檙e looking to be more inclusive, we鈥檙e looking to celebrate our diversity more and that we鈥檙e also open to new ideas.鈥�
