DURHAM, N.C. — It's been two years since President Joe Biden signed legislation that made Juneteenth a federal holiday.

The holiday, which falls on June 19, celebrates the end of slavery in the United States.

What You Need To Know

  • It's been two years since President Joe Biden signed legislation that made Juneteenth a federal holiday
  • Several celebrations are taking place across the state this weekend and Monday
  • The Garifuna Collective from Belize is coming to the Hayti Heritage Center in Durham at 7 p.m. Monday
  • A 2019 Pew Research Center survey finds that more than 8 in 10 African-Americans said slavery still affects the position of Blacks today in America when it comes to equal rights

Several celebrations are taking place across the state this weekend and on Monday.

The Garifuna Collective from Belize is coming to the Hayti Heritage Center in Durham at 7 p.m. Monday.

The group has performed in 30 countries and on five continents. Rachel Battle, one of the organizers, says the Garifuna are descendants of Africans, Indigenous populations from the Caribbean and the island of St. Vincent.

“This group is quite a dynamic group. They are on tour promoting their album 'Deep CD Urban Indigo.' It really speaks to the unity of a 20-year career of these individuals performing together,” Battle said.

Before and after the performance, organizers will talk about the importance of Juneteenth.

“One of the most important things to remember is that for a long time, Juneteenth was not celebrated or recognized across the United States. Our College of Arts and Social Sciences and Humanities at North Carolina Central University is really proud to be able to present this,” said Lenora Helms Hammonds, an organizer.

Hammonds says it's important to remember this history and to teach it in communities.

“This was significant because in 1863, when Abraham Lincoln freed the slaves, those slaves that were part of states in the Union, but far removed from the East Coast and Texas, they didn't know that they were free,” Hammonds said.

A 2019 Pew Research Center survey finds that more than 8 in 10 African-Americans said slavery still affects the position of Blacks today in America when it comes to equal rights.

“We still have percentages and data that show us that African-American families do not fare as well as white families because of single-parent households or two-income households,” Hammonds said. “We know that there are economic disparities, and we know that there are opportunities that aren't available to all people of color."