Juneteenth Events Start This Weekend
The Juneteenth parade is a festive annual event. Photo by KUT NewsAudio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
By Carlos Morales
Tuesday will be the 147th anniversary of the abolition of slavery in Texas. But a handful of events this weekend will commemorate the holiday known as Juneteenth.
The festivities begin tomorrow at the George Washington Carver Museum in East Austin. The rhythmic beats of the Carver African drum class will fill the air, and there will be live music, games, and characters in historical attire sharing stories of the slavery era in Texas.
On Tuesday, a volunteer group called the Juneteenth Committee will hold its annual parade. For coordinator Gwendolyn Doyle, the event is more than a simple celebration.
“Our youth need to know where we came from, that way we can know where we’re going,” Doyle said. “It’s an event for the community and family to come together.”
The parade begins at 10 a.m. Tuesday and will start on Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard and Comal Street. The procession will end around noon at Rosewood Park and the entertainment will continue into the afternoon.
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