Juneteenth in Richmond, CA

Richmond, California has long been one of those predominantly African American cities in the heart of the San Francisco Bay Area. However, since the advent of the Internet and Silicon Valley, young Whites have been flooding into all the low rent areas that have been predominantly ethnic minority enclaves. 

And although Richmond has been affected by this migration of Whites, African American Richmond residents still hold on to their traditions and a slim population majority. Juneteenth is a yearly celebration that Richmond conducts in its downtown (such as it is) a library and city offices, right near the police department.

Saturday, June 16, saw this year's celebration under a sparkling sun, with a mild wind that made the day perfect for what Richmond does for Juneteenth. There were over a 1,000 people from all walks of life celebrating, dancing, eating, and enjoying good gospel and  R&B music.

There were many organizations, booths with artifacts for sale, service organizations, and fun agencies for the children and adults.

Most of those at this festival had no idea what Juneteenth actually meant historically. When Gibbs asked "What does Juneteenth mean?"  the answer was uniformly the same: It's a time where we all can get together and have a good time enjoying ourselves. And whereas, there were booths with beautiful African and African American clothing, there was no booth that explained the historical significance of this celebration.

To hear the interviews Gibbs recorded at this festival, click here. To understand the significance of the Juneteenth celebration click here.[]