Saturday was the inauguration of the country’s most recent federal holiday: Juneteenth, which celebrates the end of slavery.
Many black Americans have marked this day for years, honoring their culture and history.
Kevin Bludso, owner of Bludso’s Bar & Que in Los Angeles and a native of Texas where the celebration premiered, said food played a central role in family celebrations on June 10.
“My grandmother made homemade ice cream and peach cobbler, it was just a huge day,” he said. “My grandmother would start cooking days in advance to prepare for it.”
Bludso added that barbecue has a long history in this country – one that started with slaves.
“Slaves didn’t have kitchens,” he says. “They were cooking outside. We took pieces of meat, like brisket, and made it into artwork at the time. “
Marne Campbell, chair of the African American Studies department at Loyola Marymount University, said that even with the new holiday designation, there will still be people who don’t want the day celebrated.
“There will most likely be a setback against recognizing Juneteenth as a holiday,” she said. “However, African Americans will continue to push for more change.”
For Campbell, more change would mean “the same access to education, education funding and resources, to support black businesses, things that put black people on an equal footing.”
She added that it was easy for the government to make Juneteenth a federal holiday. Now he must do more.
“Juinth is an easy day to make, to just make a federal holiday and recognize, but there has to be more of it,” she said. “Blacks, we deserve more. We helped build this nation and we have been held back for generations. “
Juneteenth celebrations continue across LA on Sunday.