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Issues and Ideas: Celebrating Juneteenth in San Luis Obispo

June 19 is Juneteenth, also known as Juneteenth Independence Day or Freedom Day. It's a holiday that commemorates the June 19, 1865 announcement of the abolition of slavery in Texas and signified the emancipation of slaves throughout the United States. It came over two years after President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation. 

Why did it take so long for slavery to end in Texas, as well as other parts of the South? KCBX's Greta Mart recently sat down with members of San Luis Obispo's NAACP chapter, TeaEster Higgins and Cheryl Vines, to learn more about the history of the holiday, the big Central Coast Juneteenth party planned this weekend, and why local NAACP members say celebrating Juneteenth this year is more important than ever.

The inaugural Juneteenth community festival hosted by the NAACP SLO Branch is Saturday, June 23 from 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM at the Ludwick Community Center, located at 864 Santa Rosa Street in San Luis Obispo. You can find more info on the web at naacpslocty.org.