Juneteenth flag raising and all-day celebration begins Friday morning
Juneteenth is celebrated annually on June 19 to commemorate the end of slavery in the United States. The holiday’s name was first used in the 1890’s and specifically refers to June 19, 1865, the day when Major General Gordon Granger ordered the final enforcement of the Emancipation Proclamation in Texas at the end of the American Civil War.
To celebrate locally, there will be two flag raising ceremonies on the federal holiday. The City of Twentynine Palms will hold a Juneteenth flag raising ceremony tomorrow at City Hall at 8:00 a.m.
Then the Women of Color Global are holding a Juneteenth celebration with a flag-raising ceremony with City Manager Kevin Cole at 11:45 at Knott Sky Park. Mayor Pro-Tem Octavious Scott will lead a welcome message at 12:30 which leads to over six more hours of music, dancing and celebration. There will also be a free community raffle giveaway at 2:30 and 6:00 along with food and vendors all day.
Government offices, banks, the post office and other businesses will be closed in observance of the Federal holiday. Juneteenth was one of the holidays that allowed free entry into National Parks. However, in December of last year President Donald Trump removed Juneteenth and Martin Luther King Jr. Day from the list of holidays that grants free entry and replaced them with his birthday.
In direct response, California has opened up free admission to over 30 historical state parks. A federal judge has also ordered the Trump Administration to restore signage that was removed from National Parks that referred to the United States history of slavery.