The celebration of the ending of slavery, known as Juneteenth is coming up on Tuesday, but events to celebrate it are already under way.
Piedmont Virginia Community College is hosting events Friday and Saturday to commemorate this historic holiday.
Friday night at PVCC, the celebration kicked off with a tribute to the ancestors, featuring African drumming and poetry.
The celebration continues Saturday with story-telling, singing and a special look at slavery at Monticello. Event organizer Tamyra Turner says we can't forget the significance of the celebration.
"It's important because freedom is precious and it hasn't been come by easy and it's not guaranteed so this is a celebration of the freedom that we enjoy but also a reminder of... you know…what's gone into establishing that freedom," she said.
Juneteenth stands for June 19, the day the announcement of the abolition of slavery was made to slaves in Texas. Now it's observed by 26 states in the U.S. including Virginia.
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