ANAHEIM (CNS) - As Orange County Board of Supervisors Vice Chairman Doug Chaffee and his staff planned a Juneteenth event in Anaheim they had no way of knowing the traditional commemoration date of the emancipation of enslaved people in the United States would become a national holiday.
``Coincidentally we had been planning that for several months,'' Chaffee told City News Service.
Chaffee was already looking forward to the event from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday at Anaheim Community Center Park but now, ``it will be a truly joyous celebration that we'll have,'' he said.
``It's terrific that Congress came together on a nonpartisan basis and declared a national holiday commemorating the end of slavery and for those who worked hard and some who died to bring an end of slavery,'' Chaffee said.
``We're glad we already had already prepared to celebrate the day of freedom this Saturday, but we're fortunate timing wise to have a national holiday declared and signed by the president just two days before our event.''
The event will feature information booths and live entertainment and will help benefit the Orange County Community Foundation African American Alliance Fund.