News 12 Staff

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Jun 15, 2024, 6:21 PM

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Updated

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Residents, organizations and business owners stepped out for Stamford's Juneteenth celebration on Saturday.

This was the fourth year that the city celebrated Juneteenth. Many Americans are celebrating the holiday, marking the day in 1865 when the last enslaved people in the United States learned they were free.

For generations, Black Americans have recognized the end of one of the darkest chapters in U.S. history with joy, in the form of parades, street festivals, musical performances or cookouts.

The U.S. government was slow to embrace the occasion — it was only in 2021 that President Joe Biden signed a bill passed by Congress to set aside Juneteenth, or June 19th, as a federal holiday.

News 12's Angelica Toruno spoke to revelers about the importance of honoring the day.

AP Wire Services contributed to this report.