Juneteenth celebration planned for Saturday

Area residents are invited to celebrate unity, family and community at a Juneteenth event on Saturday afternoon.

The event is organized by members of the Baha'I faith and their Institute for Race Unity. It is being held in cooperation with the Montgomery County Department of Recreation.

The event is intended to educate people about unity, according to Barbara Talley, one of the event's planners.

The event will feature musical performances, poetry readings and speaker presentations. Organizers also promise food, fellowship and fun.

Juneteenth is a celebration of the ending of slavery. While the Emancipation Proclamation took effect on Jan. 1, 1863, some slaves in Texas were not freed for two and a half years. June 19, 1865, is the commemorative date of their freedom.

"It was a day of prayer, it was a day of celebration ­ of solidarity and unity," Talley said. "This is a time to pause and say, 'Hey, look, let's not forget.'"

The event is free and open to the public. It will be held from 1:30-4:30 p.m., at the Germantown Community Center, 18905 Kingsview Road.