For the past thirteen years, the Black Association of SLAC Employees (BASE) has hosted this SLAC event. BASE extends an invitation to the SLAC community to help us celebrate Juneteenth on Friday, June 13. This Juneteenth celebration will include musical entertainment, displays, door prizes, BBQ and desserts.

The event will be held on the 13th at the Cafeteria Picnic Area from 3-6 p.m. Flyers will soon be posted around site with information on where to obtain your tickets.

Guests at the 2002 Juneteenth celebration were treated to good food, music, games and more. This year’s event will feature home-cooking and BBQ by staff volunteers, a video presentation, door prizes and more. (Photo by Diana Rogers)

Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration of the ending of slavery in this country. June 19, 1865, was freedom day for the slaves in East Texas and portions of surrounding states. On this day General Gordon Granger landed with Federal Troops in Galveston, Texas, with the expressed mission of announcing that the war was over and the enslaved were now free. Note this was two and a half years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation of January 1, 1863.

The first observance of Juneteenth started in East Texas and Southwestern Arkansas. Juneteenth is now celebrated throughout the country. SLAC’s Juneteenth celebration is one of the oldest Juneteenth celebrations in California.

Links:

http://www.slac.stanford.edu/~george/announce/juneteenth03.htm

http://www.juneteenth.com