Community leaders and residents of Bakersfield express their thoughts and feelings behind the holiday. Celebrating in style at the NAACP Juneteenth Brunch in Bakersfield.
- Juneteenth National Independence Day is the first federal holiday established since Martin Luther King Jr. Day in 1983 and is at least the 11th federal holiday recognized by the US federal government.
- Opal Lee is known as the “grandmother of Juneteenth.” The Texas activist worked for years to have Juneteenth recognized nationwide. She attended the presidential signing of the bill into law.
- Over 8000 color troops left from Virginia with a mission to defend the United States from a rebellion lead by Maximilian I.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Juneteenth is about culture, education and economics. Leaders from all states across the country partnered together to bring this national holiday to existence. A dream became reality when one organization took the step to fight for what they believed in.
According to the National Juneteenth Observance Foundation this holiday has been celebrated all the way back to the late 1800s. When African American troops fought for America…