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Juneteenth Celebrations In Springfield Celebrate Emancipation

courtesy
a flyer for the event

Coming up this weekend there will be events around the state celebrating Juneteenth. It's the oldest known celebration marking the abolition of slavery in the U.S. It marks the 19th of June, the day the announcement was made in 1865 in Texas that slaves were to be freed.

Sean Gregory is organizing the celebrations in Springfield. They will take place Saturday and Sunday from 10am - 7pm at Comer Cox Park. He joined Illinois Edition to talk more about it:

Rachel Otwell of the Illinois Times is a former NPR Illinois reporter.
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