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Today is Juneteenth, a holiday which has been moved into the state and national spotlight because of the recent Black Lives Matter protests.
On June 19th, 1865, following the end of the Civil War, Union Army General Gordon Granger announced at Galveston that slaves held in the state of Texas were officially free men and women.
The event is commonly celebrated as marking the end of slavery, although slaves held in Union states were not officially freed until later that year.
Juneteenth has been recognized as a holiday in Michigan since 2005. Hawaii is the only state that does not observe it.
A local Juneteenth peaceful protest is being organized for this evening. Participants are asked to meet on the upper parking deck in downtown Houghton. A walk across the Houghton-Hancock Bridge will begin at 5:30.
Because of COVID-19 concerns, organizers encourage participants to respect others by wearing masks.
