Juneteenth is a federal holiday commemorating June 19, 1865, the day the Union Army under the leadership of Gen. Gordon Granger made its way into Galveston, Texas, where he announced to the people of Texas that all enslaved African Americans were free. Here are some sights and sounds of the celebrations held across Coastal Georgia.
Tybee Island Wade In
Dozens of gatherers sang “Wade in the Water” as they approached the ocean on Friday morning for the annual Juneteenth wade-in at Tybee Beach. The event was hosted by the Tybee MLK Human Rights Organization and kicked off the city of Tybee’s Juneteenth programming. According to the event details, the wade-in invites participants to recognize “freedom, heritage and unity.”
Despite the heavy rain, community members gathered to learn the history of Juneteenth, listen to Samba Savannah and dance in the rain, letting the sound of the music guide their wade to the water…