OUR HISTORY
First things first: Juneteenth gets its name from combining "June" and "nineteenth," the day that Granger arrived in Galveston, bearing a message of freedom for the slaves there.
Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration commemorating the ending of slavery in the United States. Dating back to 1865, it was on June 19th. The Union Soldiers, led by Major General Gordon Granger, landed at Galveston, Texas with new news that the war had ended and that the enslaved. We’re now free. Note that this was two and a half years after President Lincoln's Proclamation-which had become official on January 1, 1963. The Emancipation Proclamation had little impact on the Texans due
to the minimal number of Union troops to enforce the new Executive Order. However, with the surrender of General Lee in April of 1865, and the arrival of General Granger’s regiment, the forces were finally strong enough to influence and overcome the resistance.
​
It's a day to "commemorate the hardships endured by ancestors," "It exemplifies the survival instinct, the ways that we as a community make something out of nothing... It's about empowerment and hopefulness."
As you may know, “Juneteenth” is the oldest known celebration commemorating the ending of slavery in the United States, dating back to 1865.
This celebration was organized by the former Alexandria councilman and former Rapides Parish School Board member, John Allen, former Rapides Parish Police Juror Joe Fuller, and Alle Semien in 1995. Later Mr. Leon Coleman became the President, and I was the committee chair for the “Gospel”. Mr. Coleman passed this proton, this great celebration to me in 2005, Juneteenth has risen higher and higher over the years. Central La Juneteenth celebrates five to seven days with community fellowship, education, and empowerment, which includes a variety of activities such as (Worship Services), (Juneteenth Empowerment Summit) (Juneteenth Annual Parade), (Juneteenth Annual Celebration), (Juneteenth Pageant)
(Juneteenth Quiz Bowl) along with our (Worship Experience, Musical). Our theme is and always will be “Let’s Do This Together!”
Juneteenth became a National Holiday, under the leadership of President Joe Biden, in 2021.
Carolyn Frazier, President
Central Louisiana Juneteenth Association, Inc.