Thousands of people came out Saturday to Buffalo's Martin Luther King Jr. Park to celebrate African American culture and history. Time Warner Cable News Reporter Kevin Jolly stopped by this years Juneteenth festival to see how it's also bringing the community together.
BUFFALO, NY- Some came for the food, others came for the merchandise, or the parade. But all came to be a part of something bigger.
"This festival Juneteenth is a celebration. It's a celebration of freedom, it's a celebration of hope and it's a celebration of potential for tomorrow," said Jerome Williams.
Juneteenth was born on June 19, 1865 when slavery was abolished in Texas, two years after Lincoln signed the Emancipation proclamation freeing enslaved Africans. Though not a national holiday African Americans communities began having celebrations on that day marking the end of slavery.
"Personally, I like the fact that it is an African American holiday that started in the U.S. I think it celebrates our history and our experiences as Blacks in America," said Marianne Partee.
Others said they just want to celebrate community unity.
"I wanted to enjoy my day with my people and I wanted to have a good time, I wanted to see the parade, I wanted to see the drills, I wanted to see the masons, I just wanted to see everything it had to offer," said Worthy.
"Basically, the thing that everybody needs to know is that we need to support unity in our community. First and foremost if we had that unity a lot of death and violence wouldn't be going on because there'd be a unified rally against it. And unless we have unity it's not going to work. It even said it on our pennies, its part of our history - Divided we fall but united we conquer," said Charley McClure.
This is the 41st year for the festival that's become the largest Juneteenth Celebration in the country. Juenteenth continues on Sunday.