NAACP Yuma County hosts Juneteenth event

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) - Community members gathered at Carver Park Friday evening as the Yuma County NAACP Chapter hosted its annual Juneteenth celebration.

The free event brought together residents from across Yuma County for an evening of live entertainment, local vendors, food, family activities and free bike raffles. Community leaders, elected officials and local organizations also took part in the celebration.

Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when Union General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, and announced that enslaved people were free. More than two years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation. The day has been celebrated in African American communities for generations and officially became a federal holiday in 2021.

Yuma County NAACP President Beverly Cade said she was encouraged by the turnout and community support shown during the event.

“This is awesome. We haven’t had a big turnout like this since I don’t know when," Cade said. "So this is really good. We have the mayor here, he just gave a proclamation. And this is what Yuma community is. All the support.”

Yuma City Councilmember and NAACP Chairperson Karen Watts said Juneteenth serves as an opportunity to celebrate freedom while bringing people together.

“It’s wonderful. It’s a celebration of freedom," Watts said. "And the community really came out. Getting people out in Yuma during the summer, that’s a hard thing to do. And there’s a lot of people out here.”

Organizers said the event was designed to honor the history and significance of Juneteenth while creating a space for education, reflection and celebration.

The City of Yuma, Freedom Library, National Bank of Arizona and the Yuma County Anti-Drug Coalition were among the event's sponsors. Organizers hope the annual gathering will continue to grow and help preserve the history of Juneteenth for future generations.