Riverside Church 3rd annual Juneteenth celebration honors African Americans being free from slavery and the acknowledgement of their perseverance throughout American history. Basically, Juneteenth is African Americans independence. June 19, 1865 under the Emancipation Proclamation agreement is when African Americans were freed from slavery whereas July 4, 1776 is where white Americans gain their freedom under the Declaration of Independence. Although African Americans fought alone side white soldiers, they were not granted freedom under the Declaration of Independence.
