2025 Juneteenth preview
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU) — A major holiday known as Juneteenth is returning to Sioux City after a five-year lapse.
Juneteenth is a federal holiday that commemorates the Emancipation Proclamation for enslaved people in the U.S. The holiday was first celebrated in Texas back in 1865 when enslaved people were declared free.
Story continues below
Top Story: The Latest: Israel attacks Iran, killing top military officers
Lights & Sirens: Jury for Dakota Dunes murder trial still up in the air
Sports: Andrew Van Ginkel's IMPACT Foundation puts on Summer Kick-Off Event in Rock Valley, Minnesota Twins make donation to city's recreation department
Weather: Get the latest weather forecast here
The event will feature live music, arts and crafts, free food such as soul food, and plenty more. The president of the NAACP said this event welcomes all types to come celebrate the African American community.
'What to expect is just coming in ready to celebrate,' said Monique Scarlett, the president of the Sioux City NAACP. 'Community means everyone, so it doesn't matter what color you are, what religious background you have, whether you're male, female, it does not matter. We are coming together to celebrate as a community.'
The celebration will kick off on June 19th from 5 to 8 P.M. at the Sioux City Public Library.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
27 minutes ago
- Yahoo
However you celebrate Juneteenth, do it now. It might not be a holiday forever
There's a big question swirling around Juneteenth: How do we celebrate it? It's something organizers and activists are asking themselves as battles over history education and workplace diversity initiatives dominate debates and cross racial lines. Consider me cautiously optimistic and skeptically nervous. We've got a chance to get this right, but the George Floyd protests of 2020 and the Kendrick Lamar 2025 Super Bowl halftime concert have showed us just how far the gap is between racial progressives and social conservatives. Let's take a second to reflect on where we are and where we could go with the nation's newest federal holiday. Across the nation, Juneteenth gatherings have ranged from loud parties to quiet prayer services. These days, it's easy to find food trucks, panel discussions, live music, storytelling, history presentations, barbecue contests, spades tournaments, line dances (I know my family can't gather anywhere without doing the hustle), softball games and good-ol' fashioned speechifying. There's so much variety because Juneteenth isn't like the Fourth of July or Christmas with traditions that have become part of our national DNA. For the last 200 years or so, it's been a Black thing, and we wouldn't expect anyone else to understand. On its face, this question is wild. Does anyone ask the same thing about Hanukkah or St. Patrick's Day or Cinco de Mayo? Aside from that, Juneteenth has been for all Americans since 2021, at least. Despite the emancipation that Juneteenth celebrates, Black people have been living in two cultures throughout American history. We've got our own national anthem ('Lift Every Voice and Sing'), holiday season (Kwanzaa), Thanksgiving foods (sweet potato pie, please), music (Kendrick Lamar didn't come up with that halftime show from scratch), public figures (believe in Charlamagne tha God), authors (Angie Thomas), sports legends (Josh Gibson, Satchel Paige and Cool Papa Bell, and that's just baseball) and cultural traditions (like sitting in a chair for half a day to get your hair braided before vacation.) It's a natural response to being shut out of so many mainstream places and spaces. Of course, but people from other racial backgrounds are guests, in this case. Good guests take pains to avoid offending their hosts. (For example, I don't offer coffee to my LDS friends or bacon to my Jewish friends.) Absolutely. This is a 'Saturday Night Live' sketch waiting to happen. There shouldn't be any blackface or watermelon jokes. And, please, don't wear a MAGA hat to the cookout. But mostly, I'm afraid of how Black culture might be reduced to stereotypes or warped beyond recognition. Remember when I mentioned St. Patrick's Day and Cinco de Mayo? I don't think anyone had green beer or leprechauns in mind when they decided to honor the patron saint of Ireland in the early 1600s. And why do so many people think Cinco de Mayo is just an excuse for half off margaritas and tacos? Do we really want Juneteenth to devolve into 'St. Blacktrick's Day' or 'Negro de Mayo?' Lord knows, there are enough Black stereotypes to keep Michael Che and Colin Jost busy every weekend for the next 10 years, at least. Let's not do that, please. Remember that the Black American experience is unique and try to honor it. For me, I can't think about the Black experience without thinking about separation. People were forced onto slave ships and separated from all that they knew. Children were separated from parents on auction blocks. Families were separated during the Great Migration. And we're still reeling from the separation of the prison epidemic. It's a good time to find a community of people and celebrate the racial progress we've made over the last few decades. (For example, when Kamala Harris ran for president, it was more about her being a woman than about her being Black. That would have been an unimaginable reality for any rational person during the civil rights era.) And given all the separation Black Americans have faced through history, it would be fitting to celebrate in a community gathering — the bigger, the better. Sure, you can. Especially if you have the day off. Some people don't like crowds. Maybe. You'll have to check with your employer. Private businesses aren't required to give employees the day off, paid or otherwise. And if you do get the day off, schedule it appropriately with your supervisor. Just a guess here, but it's probably a bad idea to just skip work without telling anyone. Good question. I remember being a kid and watching 'The Ten Commandments' every Easter and 'A Christmas Story' to celebrate the birth of Baby Jesus. I'm not sure there's a Black Hollywood equivalent, but Tyler Perry or Spike Lee might have some ideas. Maybe play your favorite Sidney Poitier movie on a loop and call it high cotton? (Black people have our own way of saying 'good,' too.) The balance for me is celebrating Black resilience without spending too much time reliving Black trauma. Juneteenth came about when enslaved people in Texas finally learned about their freedom about two years after the Emancipation Proclamation. We've had to overcome a lot just to exist, and some of us are thriving. Yeah. Celebrate it now because we need the momentum. The way things are going in Washington, D.C, we can't be certain Juneteenth will remain a federal holiday forever. Reach Moore at gmoore@ or 602-444-2236. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @SayingMoore. Like this column? Get more opinions in your email inbox by signing up for our free opinions newsletter, which publishes Monday through Friday. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: How to celebrate Juneteenth? Here are the dos and don'ts | Opinion
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Yahoo
Juneteenth events begin in New Bern
NEW BERN, N.C. (WNCT) –Juneteenth events are kicking off across Eastern North Carolina this weekend. Friday night, June 13, 2025, artists and many others gathered un New Bern for a night of showcasing talents. 'We've come, we come a long way and we traveled a lot of roads to get to where we are today,' Artist Diamond Campbell said. 'So, we really have to make sure that we continue to show the world who we are and a really good way to do that is through our art.' Campbell has multiple pieces showcased for the Juneteenth Artwalk. She said the art is a way to show expression through hard work. 'The black culture and hip-hop culture is something that I was raised up,' Campbell said. 'So, it's a part of me and most definitely have to make sure that I demonstrated it in my art and express it in my art. But, the Queen is definitely the most special one for me because it's the essence of me. It's who I see myself as.' Campbell said the process to create a piece of art is a step-by-step one. 'Sometimes, I can meditate on a piece for a day and complete it in my mind before I begin, and then from there, it generally takes me about two or three days to complete a piece,' she said. Some of her artwork is also for sale at the Craven Arts Council. For more information on the New Bern Juneteenth events, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Yahoo
Juneteenth celebrations kick off in STL
ST. LOUIS – Four weeks after a deadly EF3 tornado tore through north St. Louis neighborhoods, some residents say they still don't know what their future will hold. 'It looks like a war zone,' said Michael Stafford, a St. Louis resident. Lea Davis, a Fountain Park resident forced out of her home by tornado damage, said some residents still don't have a place to call home. 'We are trying to keep our heads above water,' she said. Organizers of the annual Juneteenth celebration at Fountain Park encourage residents to visit the park on Saturday. They hope the event celebrating the end of slavery will also help lift the spirits of neighborhood residents. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Activities are scheduled from 1:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. and include community education booths, children's activities, live music entertainment, free food, gift cards, pony rides, an animal petting zoo, a car show and more. 'We wanted to put joy in people's hearts and a smile on their faces,' said Clint Potts, event chair and Fountain Park resident. 'People went through so much here in the last several weeks so it's just us trying to give back and connect the people to resources.' The Dee Dee Franklin Band will perform from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. The Neighbors of Fountain Park, in collaboration with Centennial Church, are hosting the weekend celebration. Charles Cogshell is a Fountain Park resident and serves as the event's music director. He's been impressed with the resiliency of his community. 'I think it ties well with the history of Juneteenth and the resilience the African American community has had to rely on given our history in this country,' he said. Fountain Park resident Stefan West said it's difficult to put into words the toll the past four weeks have taken. 'Probably one of the hardest things is coming home from work and realizing this isn't a dream,' he said. Area residents hope the spirit of giving they witnessed in the immediate aftermath of the tornado does not go away. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
