ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings hosted a celebration Thursday evening for the upcoming Juneteenth holiday, which commemorates the end of slavery in the U.S.
The Orlando event featured live entertainment, free giveaways and food trucks to celebrate the occasion.
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Demings met with members of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Initiative to celebrate freedom, equality and progress in Central Florida, also signing a proclamation announcing the creation of Juneteenth Celebration Day.
“I’m able to stand here as the fifth elected mayor of Orange County because I stand on the shoulders of many others,” Demings said. “Juneteenth not only recognizes the freedom of African-Americas, but it also promotes continuous self-development and respect for all cultures and ethnicities.”
Juneteenth Celebration Day will be recognized county-wide on June 16 going forward, according to the proclamation.