Juneteenth is the oldest celebrated commemoration of the end of slavery in the United States. It marks the day in 1865 when federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, to ensure all enslaved people were freed, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclalmation.
The celebration began Friday night with a grand ball held at the Event Center at Evangeline Downs. A driving rain Saturday morning didn’t dampen the spirits of Rebecca Henry who for 42 years has organized the Juneteenth Celebration at the Farmers Market, Henry said the celebration honors a tradition passed down through generations promoting folk art, Creole heritage and African American traditions. Today’s celebration included local vendors, traditional Creole foods prepared by Joella LeBlanc, and of course music including gospel and of course Zydeco performed by Gerard Delafose and the Zydeco Gators.
