BUFFALO, N.Y. — We are celebrating Western New York with the raising of the Juneteenth flag outside City Hall in downtown Buffalo.
The red, black, and green flag is now on display in Niagara Square as we count down the days until next week's festival and parade.
Organizers say this year's festival carries extra significance in the wake of May's racist mass shooting, but the celebration of African American culture and freedom goes far beyond this month.
"You might take it down at the end of June, but what it stands for still stands tall as representative of the people who believe in freedom, justice, the true American way," said Jennifer Earle-Jones, president of Juneteenth Festival Inc.
Following two years of remote celebrations during the pandemic the Juneteenth festival returns in full to MLK Park next Saturday and Sunday.
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