June 19 marks the anniversary of the day slavery was abolished in 1865. Today, that anniversary is known as “Juneteenth". According to the Wesley Community Center’s Executive Director Yvette Kelly-Fields, the holiday started in Texas and is now a national holiday.
"It celebrates the last slaves in Texas being made aware of the Emancipation Proclamation," Kelly-Fields said. "And they were told June 19, 1865, which is two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation went into effect...So that holiday for African Americans is considered the African American independence day."
The Wesley Center in Dayton is holding a celebration Saturday that includes workshops, a 5K run and a historical exhibit. Kelly-Fields said the festival will focus on voter education and supporting organizations fighting for justice.
"When you see an injustice happening, we want to make sure that people know how [they can] take action," Kelly-Fields said. "[They] might read about it, but have no idea where to start. Our goal with Juneteenth is to give you a place to start."
The Wesley Center's 2018 Juneteenth Celebration is Saturday, June 16, 8am-5pm at McIntosh Park in Dayton. More information at: http://wesleycenterdayton.org/