Bay Area community gathers to celebrate Juneteenth

OAKLAND, Calif. - Bay Area Juneteenth celebrations kicked off at the 14th annual Fam Bam Festival at Lake Merritt Saturday in Oakland.

Two years ago, six people were shot, and one person was killed at the festival. This year, the focus was on safety and education. 

Attendees had to go through metal detectors before entering the event. 

The national holiday marks the anniversary of June 19, 1865, when troops arrived in Galveston, Texas to ensure all enslaved people were freed; though it came two and a half years after the official signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. 

"So much of what we are as a people has been denied, berated and whipped off of history," said Darlene Hartway, an attendee who traveled from Fairfield to attend the celebration.

The event was complete with food, drinks and performers, but Hartway says there’s deeper meaning because of the current political climate. 

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"I am kind of scared to tell the truth; I feel like we're moving backward," said Hartway. "Now it becomes a matter of critical race theory just to have our truth told, but it's really just history as it unfolded."

Hartway and others told KTVU they hope that as the community becomes more familiar with Juneteenth and learns more about its history, people become more sympathetic and understanding.