PONTIAC, Mich. – Oakland County held its first-ever Juneteenth celebration Wednesday afternoon at the county circuit court building, two years after it became a federal holiday.
There were music, food, and vendors on site for the festivities.
Hundreds gathered to commemorate the day back in 1865 when slaves in Texas first learned the Emancipation Proclamation had freed them.
“This is a celebration long overdue, and I’m so excited to see this in my lifetime and to see that it’s taken on the importance that it has,” said George Pitchford, who first learned of the holiday when he was stationed in Texas.
Pitchford put together a play to educate people about the historical importance of that time. It occurs at 1 p.m. on Monday (June 19) at Bowens Senior Citizens Center in Pontiac.
The county also paid tribute to Elizabeth Denison Forth, a Macomb County woman born into slavery. She was the first person to purchase property in Oakland County.
A marker with more information about her life was unveiled as the Juneteenth flag was raised over the county.
