Juneteenth parade, festival returns to Collinsville

By Randy Pierce • Collinsville High School’s Black Student Union is hosting its sixth annual Juneteenth parade on Main Street, beginning at 11 a.m. this Friday, June 19, and festival to follow at the Press House, 113 East Clay Street. 

Festival activities, beginning at noon, include live music, vendors, crafts, games, food and more.

Recognizing a significant date in American history and now formally observed as a holiday, Juneteenth relates to what occurred on June 19, 1865 when Union soldiers led by Major General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas on the Gulf of Mexico to notify everyone there that the Civil War was over and all who were enslaved were now declared free.

Originally designated in Texas, these circumstances have led to the observance of Juneteenth Independence Day by African-Americans since then prior to being more widely recognized in recent years.