Hundreds of people across San Antonio made their way to Sam Houston High School and Comanche Park on Saturday to celebrate Juneteenth five days early.

Reflecting on the country's past to create a better future for all was part of the message at the 19th annual Juneteenth Festival on Germantown Avenue.

Juneteenth is a federal holiday officially on Thursday, June 19, commemorating the day in 1865 when emancipation was finally announced to slaves in Galveston, Texas, the last place to get word of President Lincoln's proclamation two years earlier.

Juneteenth originally started in Galveston, Texas to commemorate June 19, 1865, the date that enslaved people in that state were informed of their freedom.

A festival celebrating the end of slavery in the United States will kick off its seventh year in Humboldt County this week. Organizers are preparing for three days of Juneteenth celebrations —

LIMA — Despite the rainy weather, the community came together for Saturday’s Juneteenth parade and celebration. The parade started at 10:30 a.m. at the intersection of South Main Street and Vine Street, moving north toward Town Square.

Travel personality Denella Ri'chard reflects on how a visit to Galveston, Texas, transformed how she views not only this holiday but American history itself.

Juneteenth is often described as the day “slavery ended in Texas,” but the truth behind it tells a deeper, more sobering story - one that includes deception, delay, and a hard-won arrival of justice.