OAK RIDGE, Tenn. — The Oak Ridge City-wide Juneteenth and Freedom Festival was held on Saturday. The Juneteenth holiday commemorates slavery ending in America.
"I don't know too much about it. I'm learning more because it's now a federal holiday," said Alexis Harris, an event attendee. "And I'm just learning what it was, it's really to celebrate being black."
The Juneteenth event was held in the historic Scarboro community. 85 Black students from that community integrated two Oak Ridge schools in September of 1955. They're known as the Scarboro 85. The event was for people of all ages, races and backgrounds.
"I think that it's awesome that people of all races can come because we're even celebrating being Black," said Harris. "We're also celebrating the fact that we're all able to be together because, once my time, this wasn't possible. We couldn't be a community"
There were several vendors selling food, drinks and clothing as well as performances.
"You can find food, you can find friends," said Tashunte Collins, a Juneteenth festival staff member. "You can come, you can find the church. We have choirs, we have three churches coming to perform. We have a drummer's event coming. You can come and you can enjoy yourself. You might, if you don't have a church home, you can come here and find your church home."
Harris said Juneteenth is supposed to be a celebration.
"I know it's a new holiday for certain people, and I know that it's a new thing, but, like, look into the history of Juneteenth and be okay with celebrating it, because I know not everyone's okay with celebrating it, but know that it's not just the day," said Harris. "It's a celebration."
She said it's also good to have a family-friendly celebration so kids will learn the history and celebrate who they are.
"Just teach the kids, the younger, younger kids, that it's beautiful Black, being Black is beautiful, and growing up, Black is beautiful, and it's okay to celebrate being black," said Harris.