Carson has become the latest city to make Juneteenth an official government holiday.
Under a proposal that the city council approved last week, Juneteenth would be a paid holiday for city workers going forward. According to Friday’s press release, the body voted unanimously last year to begin the process of making it a city holiday.
Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, the day the last enslaved black people in America learned of their freedom. Former slaves in Galveston, Texas, strangled their freedom two years after the Emancipation Proclamation. Although the day has long been celebrated within black communities, President Joe Biden made Juneteenth a federal holiday last year.
“As we honor Juneteenth, we are committed to educating ourselves on this horrific chapter in our nation’s history,” Carson Mayor Lula Davis-Holmes said in a statement. “We make sure that we can learn from the mistakes of our past for generations to come.”
Carson held its first Juneteenth ceremony 22 years ago, which city officials say has made it one of the first cities to do so. But this isn’t the first public agency to have given Juneteenth a government holiday.
Nearly two years after the Los Angeles City Council began that process, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti signed a motion last week to do the same.
Mayor Eric Garcetti said on Monday, June 6, “We need every Angelino to learn the full story of our past, no matter the ugliness of some of its chapters,” and that means the enduring of slavery in our country. Recognizing heritage.
The Redondo Beach Unified School District earlier this year made Juneteenth a paid holiday for graded employees.
Still, news of Carson joining the ranks government institution to make Juneteenth an official holiday continues the growing fame of the celebration, two years after the nation systematically shrugged off racist injustice in the wake of the killing of George Floyd.
“While we cannot eliminate structural racism overnight, it is our responsibility as a city to accept the harsh truths and pursue reforms,” Garcetti said. Will be remembered as a pivotal moment in American history.”
Carson’s move to honor the holiday came a little less than two weeks for Juneteenth, during which a number of celebrations are planned.
But one remarkable event will be missed. One of the biggest local Juneteenth traditions in the past two years—a ceremony at Bruce Beach Park in Manhattan Beach—won’t happen this time when the city council said the park, closer to the neighborhood, could no longer hold permitted events.
But Southland will still celebrate Juneteenth’s 157th anniversary on Sunday, June 19.
Carson’s Juneteenth Rhythm & Blues Festival will take place on Saturday, June 18 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Mills Park, 1340 E. Dimondell Drive. The event will feature live music from The Calloway Brothers – formerly of the band Midnight Star – by Greg Rose and the Greg Rose Orchestra and more.
There will also be a roll bounce car show, a vendor village and a teen fun zone. Additional parking will be at Curtis Middle School.
LA County Parks and Recreation, along with community organizations, will host some free events on Saturdays at parks in various areas across the country, including:
- From 2 to 6 pm at El Cariso Park, 13100 Hubbard St., Silmar.
- 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. at Jackie Robinson Park, 8773 E. Avenue R, Sun Village (near Palmdale).
- Dalton Park, 18867 E. Armstead St., Azusa from 1 to 6 p.m.
- Irvine Magic Johnson Park, 905 E. El Segundo Blvd., Los Angeles from 4 to 6 p.m.
They will feature musical performances, speakers, wellness activities, resource fairs, artist experiences, children’s activities and more.
Here are some other places to celebrate Juneteenth Weekend around the region:
Juneteenth Community Tennis Events: Edward Vincent Jr. Park, 700 Warren Lane, Inglewood on Saturday, June 18 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., hosted by the US Tennis Association of Southern California and the 40 Love Foundation. Celebrate Juneteenth’s rich history, black history, and the impact of the black community in the world of tennis and beyond. There will be tennis activities, food, music and exhibitions for adults and children.
The Juneteenth Festival of Garda: 2 to 6 p.m. Saturday, June 18, at City Hall Complex, 1670 W. 162nd St., will have cultural and educational performances, vendors, food, live music and dancing.
Taste of Compton, a Juneteenth Fest: Hosted by Neighborhood Housing Services of LA County on Saturday, June 18th from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., the NHS Center for Sustainable Communities, at 1051 W. Rosecrans Ave., Compton, LA County. There will be arts and crafts, live music, accommodations and small business workshops.
Juneteenth Pickleball Round Robin: 9 a.m. to noon at Darby Park, 3400 W Arbor Vite St., Inglewood, hosted by the Inglewood Pickleball Foundation. Players will rotate partners and opponents. Registration is $30; A portion of the proceeds will go to the Foundation. Register on Eventbrite.
Black in the Valley Juneteenth Community Celebration: Saturday, June 18 from 1 to 6 p.m., at Woodley Park, 6350 Woodley Ave., Van Nuys. There will be music, live entertainment, a vendors market, children’s activities, gifts, raffles and scholarships.
Crenshaw—Family strength and unity lies at the 2nd annual Juneteenth Unifest: Saturday, June 18 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Crenshaw Family YMCA, 3820 Santa Rosalia Drive, Los Angeles. There will be a mural ribbon cutting, live performances, financial literacy workshops, games, presentations, black-owned vendors, hair braiding and more. Recommended parking is on Marlton Avenue.
Juneteenth Arts and Culture Festival: Organized by the LA Black History Month Festival on Sunday, June 19 at Westchester Park, 7000 W Manchester Avenue, Los Angeles from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. There will be live performances, African drumming, an African market, books, poetry, a children’s art space, a panel discussion and food.
The Long Beach Celebration at Rainbow Lagoon Park on Saturday is already sold out, with no tickets available on the day.
