Houstonians celebrate Juneteenth anniversary with parade

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Performers of all ages marched and danced through Houston's Third Ward to celebrate the Juneteenth anniversary.

At Texas Southern University, children practiced their moves including a group of cheerleaders from Katy. Their coach says the event is important to teach children about the significance of the community.

"We do parades, we volunteer to feed the homeless, there's lots of things kids can learn by helping the community," Abial Rojas said.

The annual Juneteenth celebration marks the day union soldiers arrived in Galveston to inform slaves they were free. The arrival on June 19, 1865 happened nearly two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation.