RIVIERA BEACH, Fla. — A Juneteenth celebration was being held Saturday at the Riviera Beach Marina, showcasing Black music, culture and art.
This year's Juneteenth celebration takes on even more meaning for the community now that it's recognized as a federal holiday after President Joe Biden signed the legislation into law Thursday.
Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, two years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation and two months after the end of the Civil War when union soldiers finally made it to Galveston, Texas, to tell enslaved people they were free.
Although Juneteenth is now officially the 12th federal holiday, residents said there's still a ways to go to close the gap of injustice and inequality in the U.S.
"I mean, it's a nice gesture," Ayiee Hanif said. "We would like to see, you know, the anti-lynching bill get passed."
"It's been long due, and I just feel elated again, because it looks like unity," Ronda Young added.