PORT ST. LUCIE — The City of Port St. Lucie will mark Juneteenth with a community celebration June 19 focused on the history and significance of the holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States.
Juneteenth: A Celebration of Unity is scheduled for 5 to 7:30 p.m. at the MIDFLORIDA Event Center, 9221 SE Event Center Place. Admission is free.
The event will feature educational presentations, cultural activities and entertainment aimed at highlighting the history of Juneteenth and African American heritage.
Among the featured speakers are Pamela Carithers of Lincoln Park Main Street, who is expected to discuss the legacy of the Florida Highwaymen and the significance of historic landmarks in Fort Pierce and St. Lucie County, and Patricia Mullins, a Fort Pierce native who will provide historical context leading up to Juneteenth.
The program also will include a tribute to Opal Lee, widely known as the “Grandmother of Juneteenth” for her advocacy efforts that helped establish Juneteenth as a federal holiday.
Additional activities are set to include a storytelling station, photo booth, community outreach area, arts and crafts, dance performances and live music.
Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day, commemorates June 19, 1865, when enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, learned they were free, more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation.
More information about the event is available at the City of Port St. Lucie events page.