Juneteenth celebrates the date of June 19, 1865, when the slaves in Galveston, Texas, first learned of the Emancipation Proclamation issued by President Lincoln on January 1, 1863 that abolished slavery. Juneteenth in 29! is a local celebration that is being held today from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Luckie Park in Twentynine Palms. There will an exhibition titled “Pioneers on the Road to Freedom,” a Jeopardy-style trivia contest on American history, and prizes awarded to essay winners from Morongo Unified School District students in grades nine through 11. Other activities for the entire family include a local business marketplace, kickball, dominoes, spades, and checkers, with spoken word artists, musicians, and presentations by members of the community. The entire event—including hotdogs with all the fixings—is free and open to the public.
