25th annual Juneteenth celebration in Liberty this weekend
LIBERTY, Mo. — A celebration of the African American is happening this weekend.
The Clay County African American Legacy is hosting its 25th annual Juneteenth celebration in downtown Liberty.
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The two-day celebration started at 10 a.m. Friday with open house tours of Garrison School Cultural Center Museum.
There are six historical exhibit rooms and an art gallery showcasing African American contributions to the region.
Friday night, the celebration continues with a dinner and comedy show headlined by Guy Torry.
Torry will perform two shows, but unfortunately both are already sold out.
'In the African American culture, we've been celebrating Juneteenth way before it became a federal holiday,' Peter Adams said. 'To see it being honored nationally is absolutely amazing. I was in the country of Columbia, South America and they were even talking about Juneteenth there, so that's a good feeling.'
On Saturday, a dedication of the Will Smith Basketball Marker at Ruth Moore Park will be at noon.
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Following the dedication is a parade through the downtown square and a reenactment of the historic reading of General Order No. 3, which was issued in 1865 and announced the end of slavery in Texas.
Both celebrations are free. Organizers say aside from scheduled events, there will also be plenty of vendors and food.
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