COLORADO SPRINGS, CO — Although organizers of a local event say Juneteenth is a day of celebration, Angela Stevens with the NAACP says their goal is to bring to light that more work needs to be done when it comes to equality across all races.
On June 19th, 1865, slaves in Texas finally received word that they were free. Stevens says it was a day of celebration and prayer. It came two years after Lincoln presented the Emancipation Proclamation.
159 years later, Stevens says there's still work to be done. “I do believe that racism or cultural biases are very much still present in our city and in the world. There is still very much a need to celebrate Juneteenth and bring that information to the forefront and educate people”
Today's event is a prayer breakfast that kicks off at 7:30 am at the Antlers Hotel, downtown. The event is sold out for this year. There are some other options though for celebrations:
As far as closures, here's a statement from the City of Colorado Springs: "The following City of Colorado Springs administrative and elected administrative offices and agencies will be closed on Wednesday, June 19 in observance of Juneteenth, a national holiday to commemorate the emancipation of enslaved people in the United States:
- Administrative offices for Mountain Metropolitan Transit
- City Administration Building
- City AuditoriumCity Clerk
- City Hall
- Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum
- Deerfield, Hillside, Meadows Park and Westside Community Centers
- Municipal Court
- Parks, Recreation & Cultural Services Administrative Building
- Rock Ledge Ranch Historic Site
- Sales Tax Office
- Sports Office at Memorial Park
Therapeutic Recreation Program at Westside Community Center
Email Reporter Jake Walker at jake.walker@koaa.com. Follow @JakeOnAiron Instagram and Jake Walker Media on Facebook.
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Tuesday afternoon update on the Oak Ridge Fire
Officials in Pueblo County Tuesday held a press conference where they said the Oak Ridge Fire had grown to a total of 495 acres Tuesday. All evacuation orders remain the same. The fire was first reported on Saturday.
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