STOCKTON, Calif. — The San Joaquin Juneteenth Foundation is preparing to host its 46th annual Juneteenth Celebration at Weber Point in downtown Stockton this Saturday.
In commemoration of the Emancipation Proclamation that officially freed African Americans from slavery on June 19 of 1965, the organization invites the public to celebrate the long-standing holiday with the Black community.
“Remembering and honoring our excellence, that's our title for this year,” San Joaquin Juneteenth Foundation President Rosemarie Edwards said. “All the things we've suffered, all the things we overcame, it brings us to our excellence and we're standing tall as a people.”
The event will be held from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and will feature a number of activities, food vendors, music and poetry performances, an author’s corner and educational speakers to teach what Juneteenth is all about.
“We're gonna have some black authors there that'll be talking about the Emancipation Proclamation because there's a lot of adults that don't know what this means,” Edwards said.
“It tells you a lot because they really don't teach it in the schools and they never did,” she added.
Edwards said growing up, she never learned about slavery and Black culture in school, and wants to stress the importance of learning about Black history through community engagement.
“My family had been slaves from what my mother told us, and it’s heartbreaking,” Edwards said. “But we're still standing, still pushing forward, not going backwards, and freedom means a lot so we'll keep on fighting for that freedom that we won."
Juneteenth was declared a federal holiday in 2021, and Edwards said that has her and the organization especially excited for this year.
“It was unexpected, but it was very enlightening and everyone was happy about it,” Edwards said. “This is our second year at Weber Point, and I predict it will be a much bigger festival.”
Stockton Juneteenth is an admission free family-friendly event.
More information on the celebration, the organization and its other upcoming events can be found on the San Joaquin Juneteenth Foundation website.
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