The Lancaster chapter of the NAACP, in partnership with numerous community organizations, has planned a full slate of events to mark Juneteenth this Saturday.
The day will kick off with a "celebration and vigil," running from 10:45 a.m. to 12 noon in the Broad Street parking lot at Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology.
From there, a Juneteenth vehicle caravan will travel through city neighborhoods. Participants are asked to gather from noon onward at the Broad Street parking lot; the procession will begin sometime after 12:30 p.m.
Lastly, a Family Fest will take place from 3 to 7 p.m. at Pavilion 1 in Lancaster County Central Park.
Juneteenth commemorates the order issued by Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger in Texas on June 19, 1865, affirming that all former enslaved people were free.
NAACP Lancaster President Blanding Watson said the day will be a time for reflection, for learning about the history and legacy of slavery and the ongoing struggle to achieve social justice and civil rights.
"We are not done yet," he said. "The journey continues."
(Editor's note: This has been updated to add details about the second event and clarify that it is a vehicular parade.)
