St. John Juneteenth festivities planned
Published 11:29 am Wednesday, June 17, 2020
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LAPLACE — The St. John the Baptist Council is meeting at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, June 17 via Zoom. The agenda is posted
Attendees of a previous Juneteenth celebration play the drums during an African music demonstration.
on L’Observateur’s Facebook page. Parish President Jaclyn Hotard is expected to proclaim Friday, June 19 as Juneteenth Independence Day. This day a commemorates the emancipation of enslaved people in the U.S. The holiday was first celebrated in Texas, where on that date in 1865, in the aftermath of the Civil War, slaves were declared free under the terms of the 1862 Emancipation Proclamation.
In addition to being proclaimed a parish holiday, a Juneteenth Walk for Justice and Equality will take place at 8 a.m. on Friday in front of Home Depot and will end at the St. John Parish Sheriff’s Office. This event will include food, music and guest speakers. The community is invited to Light Up the Night for Black Lives from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Friday, June 19. There will be a parish-wide community bike and walking event. Grab your glowsticks and lighted bikes and take a stroll for black lives in your neighborhood. An 8:30 p.m. speech will be streamed live on Facebook and Instagram @Motionphics. Share your pictures to the St. John BLM Juneteenth 2020 page on Facebook.
