Festival-goers discuss importance of Juneteenth

SHREVEPORT, La. (KSLA) — The Let the Good Times Roll Festival wrapped up its three-day run Sunday, June 19.

On the final day, KSLA News 12′s Tayler Davis asked some festival-goers about the importance of Juneteenth.

“Well, they they say we celebrating our freedom from slavery, but I been free since 40 something years ago when the Lord saved me‚ sanctified, build me and baptized me,” one woman said. “But they still fighting us, but they just can’t beat us down like they use to do back in the day. But they do picking on us lil by little ...”

A man said he sees it as a “celebration of heritage, time, lineage and respecting the past as moving forward for the future.”

And another woman said: “It means freedom. And, to me, it means putting God first. That’s every day. And I really wish ... Just talking to the officer over there being on the force here in Louisiana for over 25 years, he was raised not to see color. So, to me, Juneteenth should be about everything.”

This was the festival’s 35th year. And it will back in the same spot next year, organizers said.

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