MIRAMAR, FLA. (WSVN) - Juneteenth, the day commemorating the end of slavery in the United States, was celebrated across South Florida with a variety of events showcasing cultural performances, community activities and educational opportunities.
Florida International University kicked off its Juneteenth celebration from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Earlene and Albert Dotson Pavilion. The event featured drummers, dancers, food, and giveaways.
“We decided to make it a time for a day on versus a day off so we could educate and celebrate around it and heal around the name of Juneteenth,” said El Pagnier Kay “EK” Hudson, the Senior Vice President of Human Resources at the school.
The FIU ceremony aimed to honor Juneteenth’s historical significance and celebrate African American culture and heritage.
“It’s certainly an interesting process. We want to continue to share, continue to teach, not just our generation but generations to come, its rich history, its American history, and it involves all of us, and all of that, we as a Black community, African American community, contributed to the nation that sometimes has gone unnoticed,” said Hudson.
In Miramar, the city hosted a Juneteenth Family Day from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. with the theme “Discovering Our Roots.”
City Commissioner Yvette Colbourne hosted the event.
“We love to celebrate our heritage, and this for us is another celebration of who we are here in the city of Miramar,” she said.
Miramar’s Juneteenth celebration included an artisan and education street fair, books from the Little Free Library, a scavenger hunt, crafting and more. This family-friendly event is held at City Place Plaza, 2300 Civic Center Place.
“City of Miramar is a very diverse community, so it is so important for us to share our culture,” said Colbourne, “so today we pause for Juneteenth, for the African American culture.”
Miramar Police Chief Delrish F. Moss said this is a celebration of progress.
“When you think about the significance of slavery being emancipated, and you spend two to three years not knowing that you were working for free as property, but you’re not anymore,” he said, “so it’s not only significant in that respect, it’s significant in that it’s an opportunity to reflect on and talk about the progress that had been made over the many years.”
Juneteenth commemorates the day Union soldiers marched to Galveston, Texas, in 1865 and told thousands of enslaved people they were free, two years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation.
Hollywood marked Juneteenth with its annual parade and festivities organized by the South Broward Juneteenth Celebration Committee.
The parade began at 10 a.m. at Washington Park and followed a route through the city.
“It’s a great experience and it’s very fun, it’s very exciting,” said Desire, a young woman who attended the parade.
“I’m seeing a mixture, a coming together of the different cultures, the different groups of people, and I think its a wonderful thing,” said Mabel Randell, who also attended the parade. “There’s no ‘us,’ it’s one. We’re all one people.”
The day continued with music, food and various activities for the community at Washington Park until 6 p.m.
Miami Beach is celebrating its fifth annual Juneteenth event, which kicked off at 6 p.m. This year’s celebration features “Miami Dance Heat Wave,” a performance by the Peter London Global Dance Company in partnership with the Lincoln Road Business Improvement District.
The event is taking place at 1100 Lincoln Road, honoring the contributions of Black Americans and remembering the emancipation of enslaved people.
The Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival will commemorate Juneteenth with music, poetry and movies through Thursday.
On Wednesday, the festivities began with a reception at 6 p.m., followed by a film screening of “Freedom Hair” at 7 p.m. The film portrays the inspiring true story of Melony Armstrong, a determined mother who starts a natural hair braiding business to achieve financial independence. Armstrong will be present for a conversation following the film.
The evening also features spoken word by Darius Daughtry and a musical performance by Kiowa Catlin.
On Thursday, the events include a reception at 6 p.m. with a music performance by Feminafrika, followed by a screening of “Kemba” at 7 p.m. The film stars Nesta Cooper, Sean Patrick Thomas and Michelle Hurd, and it nfollows the story of Kemba Smith, a criminal justice reform advocate who was sentenced to 24 and a half years in federal prison due to her involvement with her college boyfriend’s drug-trafficking crimes. Feminafrika will also provide musical entertainment.
All film showings at the Fort Lauderdale event are free to the public. For more information, click here.
“Music from the culture, we hope, will bridge that distance,” said one spokesperson with the Fort Lauderdale Film Festival.
This is the fourth year that Juneteenth has been observed as a federal holiday. These celebrations across South Florida highlight the historical significance and ongoing cultural impact of Juneteenth.
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