Elm Thicket/Northpark Hosts 14th Juneteenth Celebration
Historic freedmen’s town Elm Thicket/Northpark hosted its annual Juneteenth celebration complete with a parade, live music, and food vendors.
The neighborhood celebrated on June 15 for its 14th year.
The parade began at 10 but the celebration lasted from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
The community also celebrated the dedication of a new historical marker and statue. The marker represents and describes the history and legacy of residents in the area.
“It was our opportunity to plant a flag so that no matter what this city becomes, we are here,” resident Jonathan Maples said. “We are the answers to the prayers of our ancestors.”
The statue, directly next to the marker, features two children on a bench reading a book.
The holiday celebrates the arrival of U.S. Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger who issued General Order No. 3 in Galveston Bay. The Order informed the people of Texas that all enslaved people were free nearly two years after Abraham Lincoln emancipated enslaved Africans in America.
