Utah celebrates second official Juneteenth
Jun 18, 2023, 12:00 PM

The Juneteenth flag waves in the wind outside of the City-County Building in Salt Lake City on Friday, June 18, 2021. (Deseret News)
(Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY — Monday will mark Utah’s second year celebrating Juneteenth.
The holiday commemorates the day the enslaved Americans learned about their freedom in 1865. Wynter Storm, poet, activist, and CEO of the Utah Black Artists Collective, said it has been celebrated ever since 1866, and was officially recognized as a federal holiday in 2021.
Storm said it’s important to understand the vibrant history of the holiday, along with the meaning behind the celebrations.
“If you look at the history of Juneteenth, it’s a celebration of freedom,” she said.
As an artist, Storm believes it’s important to note that art and freedom go hand in hand.
“I can’t think of anything that is more freeing than art, truly getting to create the way that you would like to, the things that you would like to.”
She said it’s important to celebrate the freedoms that were not realized with the founding of our country.
“We can make it different by continuing to celebrate the true value of freedom,” she said.
That true value of freedom, she said, belongs to everyone.
Read more: