By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Willow Hill marks 160th anniversary of Juneteenth
062025_JUNETEENTH_01.jpg
Dr. Nkenge Jackson-Flowers, center, begins a tour of the Willow Hill Heritage & Renaissance Center in an exhibit of canoe-making and other cultural traditions of Ghana during the Juneteenth celebration on Friday, June 20, 2025. (SCOTT BRYANT/staff)

Juneteenth, officially recognized as a federal holiday in 2021, commemorates June 19, 1865 — the day slaves in Galveston, Texas, were told they were free, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation. 

Willow Hill Heritage & Renaissance Center marked the 160th anniversary of Juneteenth with two days of community celebrations that featured live music, food, local vendors and family friendly activities.