The Santa Clarita Valley NAACP chapter held a weekend of fun, games and entertainment in celebration of the federal recognized holiday, Juneteenth, aimed to educate the community about its historical significance and shed light on Black American culture.
June 19, also known as “Juneteenth,” was recognized as a federal holiday in 2021 and marks the day when the last enslaved people in the United States learned they were free, said local chapter NAACP President Valerie Bradford.
The Emancipation Proclamation, which freed the slaves, was signed in 1863 but it took two additional years for the people of Galveston, Texas, to realize that they were no longer enslaved, she said.
“It’s important to me personally and also to our branch because it is a cultural celebration. It’s a celebration of our people. Our country celebrates July 4, and so do we, but when all African Americans realized they [were] free [it was] June 19,” Bradford said. “That’s why it’s important to African Americans. It’s our culture, our history and it’s American History, not just Black history.”

The celebration Saturday at Central Park had musical performances including an acoustic cover of “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” known as the “Black national anthem,” sung by singer and songwriter Felice LaZae.
In attendance was Santa Clarita Mayor Cameron Smyth, participating in the fun despite the hot weather.
“It’s so important not only for us to be here, to fellowship and to engage with one another, but the importance of education,” Smyth said. “Juneteenth is now, as we know, a national holiday, and it’s one that I think our schools and our young people need to learn more about. Events like this, we know are just going to continue to grow and I think all of us will be able to say that we were here at the very first one.”
He added that the city of Santa Clarita has recognized the federal holiday and will participate in taking Juneteenth as a day of observance so staff could take the day to reflect, learn and appreciate its historical significance.


NAACP Second Vice President Rlynn Smith-Thomas wore a dress with the African continent during the celebration, a way for her to shed light and pay homage to the ancestors before her and the rest of the community.
She was excited to have a space to celebrate Juneteenth because “it gives us an opportunity to come together and celebrate it,” she said. “We want everybody here. It’s open to not only people of color but to everybody.”
Smith-Thomas plans on cooking traditional southern foods and deserts on the national holiday associated with the Texas group of enslaved Black people back in 1865. Some of the foods she’s planning on making are beans, rice, fried chicken and peach cobbler.

