The Gloucester Institute in partnership with the Gloucester Juneteenth Celebration Committee, Gloucester County NAACP and Mathews NAACP chapters hosted its Juneteenth Celebration on Wednesday, June 19.

Juneteenth, officially Juneteenth National Independence Day, is celebrated annually on June 19 to commemorate the end of slavery in the United States.

The day began with the Opal Lee Walk at 9 a.m. from Gloucester Library to St. Therese Roman Catholic Church and back. The walk is named after Opal Lee, who is known as the “Grandmother of Juneteenth,” for her role in making Juneteenth a federal holiday in June 2021. The day was then followed by Charles and Kay Cole James welcoming the community to Holly Knoll, one of the most historical places in the country, for a celebration that afternoon.

Multiple vendors were in attendance that people indulged throughout the event such as Bella’s Unique Styles, The Arts Daughter and more. Nonprofit organizations were in attendance as well su...