(AP) — Parades, picnics and lessons in history are all part of Juneteenth celebrations in the U.S.
The day is carrying even more significance after Congress and President Joe Biden created a federal holiday to commemorate the end of slavery.
Juneteenth recalls June 19, 1865, when Union soldiers brought the news of freedom to enslaved Black people in Texas.
In Detroit, teens repainted a block-long message, “Power to the People,” which was created last year. Officials in Bristol, Rhode Island, unveiled a marker that describes the seaport’s role in the slave trade. Hundreds gathered for a free concert in New York’s Times Square.
A Juneteenth parade was held in Evanston, Illinois, which is offering housing grants to Black residents for past discrimination.
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