June 19, 1865, was the date slaves from Galveston, Texas, found that they had been freed two years earlier. In 1978 Juneteenth was made an official holiday for African Americans in Texas and started in Natchez in 1994. Coordinator Royal Hill Jr. said the purpose of this year&8217;s celebration is to bring awareness to the different cultural wealth of the region and to raise money or purchase state historical sites significant to blacks. The money raised from this year&8217;s celebration will go to purchase a historic site marker at &8220;Bontura&8221; or the Robert D. Smith house. &8220;This is a celebration of triumph, healing, history and what we have the potential to be,&8221; Hill said. At 7 p.m. Friday the Juneteenth celebration will begin with the &8220;Fashions in the Spotlight&8221; fashion show followed by &8220;Taste of Soul,&8221; a tasting of soul food prepared by area restaurants. On Saturday the celebration will continue with the libation ceremony at 10 a.m. at the Forks of the Roads enslavement markets site at the junction of D&8217;Evereux Drive, St. Catherine Street and Liberty Road. Ser Sesh Ab Heter-C.M. Boxley, of the Africa House Educultural Museum, will conduct the ceremony. Boxley extended an invitation to the community as a whole but said he especially wants blacks to attend.

&8220;So many African Americans go about their business in today&8217;s time and forget to make offerings of thanks to their ancestors for bearing the burden of slavery on their shoulders,&8221; Boxley said. The first part of the ceremony is a re-introduction of a Civil War flag presented to the blacks of Natchez by the Fifth Heavy Artillery Colored Division. The flag has been restored by the Natchez National Historic Park and will fly again in Natchez after 142 years. The second part of the libation ceremony is the honoring of the Union Army and Navy Colored soldiers and sailors who volunteered from Adams County and Concordia Parish. The third part of the ceremony, honors family members of the Natchez civil rights hero Wharlest Jackson Sr. Jackson was killed in 1967 after a promotion at the Armstrong Tire and Rubber Company that was reserved for whites. &8220;At this ceremony family members of Jackson will be asked to come forth and share their thoughts about the meaning of his death.&8221; Finally the ceremony will end with an African traditional Yoruba Libation given by Priestess Iyalorisa Oyasegun of Jackson. There will also be a youth and adult rodeo at 4 p.m. at the H and M Arena at 314-B Cranfield Road. Tickets for the fashion show and food tasting are $10 and can be purchased at the Natchez Visitors Center. Tickets for the rodeo cost $5 for adults, $2 for children 6-18 years old and children under get in free. Tickets can be purchased at the H and M Arena.