Scenes from Juneteenth Day

Juneteenth Day (June 19), a nationally recognized holiday marking the enforced end of slavery by armed forces in Galveston, Texas in 1865, has long been a favorite street festival in Milwaukee.

Not even morning showers could keep residents from gathering on MLK Drive between W. Center and Burleigh Streets for some favorite foods, parades, and music.

Through guidance of the groups like the Wolcott Neighborhood House and the Harambee Community Center, festival goers celebrated the state holiday with music, food and community, featuring performances by “the Minors” (who appeared on American Idol), the Nefertari Dance troupe, and various local politicians and celebrities.

Nickolas Nikolic took in the sights Sunday morning, you can see the results in our slideshow below or by viewing our complete flickr.com set here.