#114: Juneteenth — a shortening of June 19th — marks the day chattel slavery ended in the United States. On this day in 1865, nearly two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued, federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas to tell the last enslaved Black Americans they were free. 

All throughout Los Angeles County, there are celebrations honoring this holiday. But one of the largest is in Leimert Park. A festival has been held there since 2018, with music, food, art, vendors and all sorts of activities, but the Juneteenth tradition in this community goes back decades.

Jonathan Leonard, a Texas transplant, is credited with starting it in 1949 by hosting a family barbeque in his backyard. The tradition took root that day in Leimert Park and, over the years, the party grew.

This year, some 50,000 people are expected to show up and celebrate Juneteenth in the neighborhood. It's no longer the simple picnic with barbeque, Red Soda and watermelon. Jazmine Sullivan is headlining! But Leonard's mission still drives it. Listen to this episode to learn about that history. 

Guests: DJ QwessCoast, Juneteenth Leimert Park Festival organizer; Ariyana Leonard and AyEsha Leonard McLaughlin, Jonathan Leonard's daughters

Read more here: The Long Legacy Of Juneteenth In Leimert Park