ITHACA, N.Y. (WENY) - The Tompkins County Office of Human Rights held a Juneteenth celebration in Ithaca on Wednesday at the Southside Community Center. The theme of this year's celebration was "Freedom Then, Freedom Now." Organizers say that learning the history of the holiday and how it relates back to today can create conversations and potentially spark some change,

On June 19, 1865, the remaining slaves in the United States learned of the Emancipation Proclamation, a law passed two years prior, granting their freedom. Juneteenth is a holiday marking this event in U.S. history. 

The Southside Community Center and other organizations in Ithaca collaborated to put on a lineup of events where guests learned about the history of Juneteenth and talked about why it is still important today.

"Juneteenth or, history, is so important because, if we don't know it, we cannot make sure that it doesn't repeat itself," said Daquetta Jones, Keynote speaker and CEO of Vera House. "Especially those harmful, damaging--we are experiencing its poison still to this day."

The first event of the day was a historical reenactment of the first Juneteenth celebration in 1865. After the performance, guests sat at discussion tables and were encouraged to talk to one another. Then, they were given the chance to share what freedom means to them.

One woman who came to the event, Phoebe Brown, had many things to say and several questions to ask. Within this space, she felt safe enough to share her perspective on freedom.

"As an African American woman, I can't definitely say what freedom is but I can say what I want as freedom," Brown said.

This Juneteenth marks the fourth annual commemoration by Tompkins County, the City of Ithaca, Southside Community Center, Business Leaders of Colors, and the Community Foundation. Organizers say they will continue to mark the holiday and provide a space for those in the community to foster these conversations.

"I think it is an important holiday to help us to continue to grapple with the enduring legacy of slavery and, by implication, segregation and other forms of discrimination," said Dr. Ken Clark, Director of the Tompkins County Office of Human Rights. "The struggle continues and we do best not to try to avoid it, but to face it head on."