Palm Springs Juneteenth Celebration Kicks Off Weekend of Culture, History and Community

Juneteenth celebrations are getting underway in Palm Springs as community leaders prepare for a weekend dedicated to honoring freedom, Black history and culture.

The Palm Springs Black History Committee is hosting a series of events beginning Thursday with a Juneteenth kickoff celebration during VillageFest in downtown Palm Springs.

The celebration continues Friday with a Unity Picnic at Downtown Park and concludes Saturday with a youth pageant at the James O. Jessie Desert Highland Unity Center.

President of the committee, Jarvis Crawford, says the weekend is designed not only to celebrate Juneteenth but also to educate attendees about the holiday's significance.

Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when enslaved people in Texas learned they were free, more than two years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation.

Community leaders say each event will incorporate opportunities to learn about the history behind Juneteenth while bringing people together through culture, entertainment and conversation.