Gainesville celebrates Juneteenth with community gathering at Bo Diddley Plaza

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The city of Gainesville hosted a series of events this month to celebrate Juneteenth.

To mark the end of this year’s festivities, residents took to Bo Diddley Plaza on Friday.

Community members showed their gratitude for spaces that unite everyone.

“It’s just a wonderful thing that people can unite and come together and celebrate what it actually means to everyone,” said Denise Carroll, an attendee.

Educating future generations

The event served as a reminder for those in attendance that Juneteenth is not just about the past, but also to educate future generations.

“I am an educator and I think it’s important to be a part of celebrating major events in history. But also, I want my daughter to understand her own history and I want her to understand things that are significant about her own culture that is important to expose her to,” said Heather Christian, an attendee.

While the Journey to Juneteenth series may be coming to an end, community members say its message of freedom, education, and unity will live on.