DALLAS — Though its recognition as a federal holiday only began in 2021, Juneteenth celebrations have taken place for more than a century in Texas.
The holiday celebrates the emancipation of enslaved people in America but there are a wide range of options for how people choose to partake in that celebration.
Vintage WFAA stories archived in SMU’s Jones Film Library show a variety of Juneteenth events including a rodeo at Fair Park in Dallas where 200 African American cowboys competed as a reminder of their role in Wild West and Western culture.
Meanwhile, in Fort Worth, the celebration was more subdued with food, music and the theme of “reclaiming our past to enhance our future.”
But the most decorated Juneteenth celebration in the country occurs at Comanche Crossing, about 100 miles south of Dallas in the town of Mexia, Texas. The annual event there has taken place every year since 1865 and attracts people from across the country.