Golden Valley Resident Celebrates Juneteenth With Peace Event
Juneteenth is now a federal holiday and celebrations are occurring across the country and right here in the northwest metro.
The holiday, which is officially June 19, marks the day that news of the Emancipation Proclamation freeing slaves reached the state of Texas.
Golden Valley resident Rose McGee put together the first annual Sweet Potato Comfort Pie Jubilee to mark the occasion. The event, held Friday at Western Sculpture Park in St. Paul, took place in conjunction with the 25th annual Community Peace Celebration.
McGee says she wants to celebrate Juneteenth by uplifting the community.
“Our community is under a lot of stress and duress and pain,” said McGee. “We just need a respite. We need some hope, and that’s the purpose of today.”
Since 2014, McGee has been using her signature sweet potato comfort pies, which she calls “the sacred dessert of black culture,” as a catalyst for building community and starting meaningful conversations about racial justice.
Rose McGee, founder of Sweet Potato Comfort Pie
Robbinsdale Juneteenth Event Takes Place Sunday
A Juneteenth event will also take place Sunday in Robbinsdale.
The event hosted by Robbinsdale for Racial Justice includes music, other activities and food. It takes place from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday at Sanborn Park.
