TULSA — The Juneteenth holiday is Monday, but some Tulsans and visitors are already celebrating. 2 News Oklahoma caught up with a family visiting Tulsa and enjoying the Juneteenth festival.
The Mercer family is in town for a family reunion, but they decided to spend part of their weekend at the Juneteenth festival in the Greenwood District.
"My aunt, she's somewhere around here; she said when they were growing up in Tulsa," Charmaine Mercer said, "They used to do this as children, and she's 79 years old, so their family was always aware of Juneteenth when it wasn't as popular."
The Mercer family made up some of the hundreds of people enjoying the festivities for the Juneteenth festival. Juneteenth celebrates the freedom of slaves. Once President Lincoln signed the emancipation proclamation, slaves in Texas learned of their freedom on June 19, 1865.
"I think it's very important for us to know just as well as we know about Abraham Lincoln and George Washington, we should know about Juneteenth as well," Melvin Mercer said.
Melvin Mercer had his children in tow; he finds it important to celebrate Juneteenth with them.
"I'm proud that I'm able to explain to my children that their history, and their heritage, and things they can aspire to do, that people that look like them were doing a long time before they were born," Melvin Mercer said.
Juneteenth became a holiday in Texas in 1938. By the 1970s, every US state was observing it in one way or another. Juneteenth only became a federal holiday in 2021. Tre Fuselier, from Tulsa, says he's always celebrated, but the awareness around it has increased.
"Man, it's just more people, you know, more publicity, more people that want to dive into our culture," Fuselier said, "More people that want to get immersed in what we're doing and want to get things going around Tulsa."
Fuselier is pleased with Juneteenth's rising popularity; he thinks it's important for his culture."
"The holiday is good to have for Black people, right? We need something to celebrate," Fuselier said.
Charmaine Mercer thinks Juneteenth's national holiday status elevates it.
"That is important not only for Black people in America but also for all America, Charmaine Mercer said, "So, it's really important that it's a national holiday; people are able to take time off to learn about the deep, rich history that is American history, just as much as it is Black American history."
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