On Saturday, June 19th, 2021 the NAACP New Bedford branch, in cooperation with Collective 4 Change, celebrated Juneteenth from Noon until 5:00pm at the branch office, 95 Cedar Street in New Bedford. The celebration was sponsored by Senator Mark Montigny’s Children’s Equality and Empowerment Fund and Saturday marked the second official Juneteenth observance in the Commonwealth, having been signed into law by Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker on Juneteenth of last year.
The celebration included complementary cultural and ethnic food, beverages, and frozen treats. Attendees enjoyed community performances, African libations, and a children’s corner. Give-a-ways were a staple of the events. Children and young teens were allowed to enter a raffle to receive Samsung tablets and bicycles.
Juneteenth, which is often referred to as Emancipation Day, Jubilee, and Freedom Day, is an observance that originated in Galveston, Texas to honor the [very] belated news of the Emancipation Proclamation.
