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Jun 20, 2020 - Politics & Policy

In photos: America celebrates Juneteenth

Rashaan Ayesh
Organizers of the Chicago Peace March lead the march in Chicago while wearing white t-shirt with a printed fist

Organizers of the Chicago Peace March lead a march in Chicago to celebrate Juneteenth. Photo: Natasha Moustache/Getty Images

People across the U.S. participated in Juneteenth celebrations on Friday, the date that commemorates the end of slavery in the U.S.

Why it matters: The celebrations come as the Black Lives Matter movement experiences a revitalization in the wake of George Floyd's death. Protests have consumed the country over excessive use of force by police — bringing racial inequality back into the forefront of America's consciousness.

Tulsa City Council member Vanessa Hall-Harper poses in front of a monument to the 1921 Black Wall Street massacre.
Tulsa City Council member Vanessa Hall-Harper poses in front of a monument to the 1921 Black Wall Street massacre. Photo: Photo: Lawrence Bryant/Reuters
New murals line Atlanta streets after the police killing of Rayshard Brooks.
New murals line Atlanta streets after the police killing of Rayshard Brooks, sparking a fresh round of protests. Photo: Scott Cunningham/Getty Images
Organizers of the Juneteenth Candle light Vigil for the victims of police violence addresses the crowd at the Lee monument
Organizers of the Juneteenth Candlelight Vigil for the victims of police violence addresses the crowd at the General Robert E. Lee monument in Richmond, Va. Photo: Eze Amos/Getty Images
Community members gathered at the Say Their Names Cemetery for a candle light vigil
Community members gathered at the Say Their Names Cemetery for a candlelight vigil honoring men and women who died at the hands of police brutality in Minneapolis, Minn. Photo: Brandon Bell/Getty Images
A speaker wearing a construction hat with four painted portraits of George Floyd with the Pan-African colors of Red, Black and Green and a flag that says "Black Lives Matter"
A speaker talks to thousands of protesters in Brooklyn, N.Y. as they peacefully marched across the Brooklyn Bridge as part of the Unite NY 2020. Photo: Ira L. Black/Corbis via Getty Images
A family poses during Rebuild Black Wall Street on June 19, 2020 in Chicago, Illinois
A family poses during Rebuild Black Wall Street in Chicago, Illinois. Photo: Natasha Moustache/Getty Images

Go deeper: Juneteenth grows across the U.S.

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