Thousands Celebrate End of Slavery
Posted 6/19/2006 12:42 AM
Monday marks the annual Juneteenth celebration.
Story by Liz Kravitz Email | Bio
People across the nation and right here at home are observing the oldest known celebration of the ending of slavery, known as Juneteenth.
On Sunday, people enjoyed a cookout at the New River Park in beckley to celebrate.
Organizers said it's important for children to learn about the past and for the community to come together.
"We're just trying to get the community, not just the black community, but all of the Beckley community to acknowledge Juneteenth as a holiday," said Connie McKeever, a member of the Juneteenth committee.
Organizers are already planning ways to make next year's celebration bigger and better.
Copyright 2006 West Virginia Media. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
http://www.wboy.com/story.cfm?func=viewstory&storyid=11689