OLD COLORADO CITY, Colo. (KOAA) — Dozens of people gathered outside the Westside Community Center in Old Colorado City to take part in a Juneteenth freedom march on Thursday afternoon.
This year's holiday marks 160 years since enslaved people in Galveston, Texas learned they had been freed more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation.
The African American Historical and Genealogical Society of Colorado Springs hosted the family-friendly Juneteenth celebration on the west side of the city with vendors, music, dancing, storytime hour, and poetry.
Temiya Bryant, a mother of four, said she brings her children to Juneteenth celebrations to teach them the importance of their heritage.
"We come out every year, and it's really important to come out," she said. "To see ourselves in the community is important."
Breyden Harris said he didn't learn about the Juneteenth holiday until college, and said as a Black man it is never to late to begin learning about his culture.
"I don't really know a lot about Black culture, actually. And so I think it's important for, even me as a black person, to do this kind of thing, so I can get more exposure to that, even as I'm in my 20s already," said Harris.
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Internal safety memo retracted over The Citadel Mall Juneteenth event
A Juneteenth celebration that's expected to draw tens of thousands of visitors received some attention this week with a memo being sent out urging area military members to not attend.
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