The History Behind Juneteeth

Buffalo, NY holds an annual Juneteenth event at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. park located in Buffalo’s East side area. Juneteenth is the celebration most known for the freeing of enslaved Africans. It has been a tradition of Buffalo to hold this event in the Dr. King Park, where the head monument of Dr. King was built paying homage to his legacy.

In an effort to reach local children and teach them a crucial part of African American History, Buffalo Public Schools along with a few artisans and historians have created the “Chalk Walk” which allows children of all ages to partake in crafting while learning about their culture. Educator and historian of Buffalo, NY Bilala Ka Ra shares the history of Juneteenth and how the name of this celebration and festival was created.