Organizers said about 3,000 people came together along Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in Tyler on Saturday morning to celebrate freedom, heritage and resilience during the annual Juneteenth parade.

“This is a celebration that’s not just for the Black community; it’s for everyone to come together and recognize the significance of Juneteenth,” said Candi Jackson, a Tyler resident. “Our city really comes together for this like no other.”

Juneteenth celebrates freedom, community, and Black resilience. It is marked every year on June 19th, commemorating the day in 1865 when enslaved people in Galveston finally learned they were free — two years after President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation.

Union troops, led by General Gordon Granger, arrived in Galveston and issued General Order No. 3, declaring that all enslaved people in Texas were free. That moment marked a symbolic end to slavery in the U.S. and became a defining moment in Black American history.

On June 17, 2021, then-President Joe Biden signed a proclamation recognizing Juneteenth a federal holiday.

Each year in Tyler, the parade is organized by the Juneteenth Association of Tyler, a nonprofit dedicated to preserving and celebrating the history and cultural significance of Juneteenth in East Texas. The group’s work includes educational programs, community events, and, of course, this parade.

“We all look forward to this every year, and it’s always a success,” Jackson said. “Shoutout to the Juneteenth Association for doing an amazing job each year.”

The association estimated about 3,000 people participated in the parade, including those marching/riding as vendors and those watching along the route.

The parade kicked off at MLK Jr. Boulevard and Glenwood, wrapping up at Woldert Park, where families came together to enjoy food, games, and each other’s company.

“This is my first time attending,” paradegoer Miranda Tatum said. “I’m not usually a morning person, but I thought I’d come out and enjoy the parade with everyone. I enjoyed seeing the Corvettes, the motorcycles, and really, everybody just coming together and having fun.”

Tyler’s Juneteenth parade featured a variety of vehicles that added extra excitement to the festivities. There were classic cars, including vintage restorations and sleek muscle cars, cruising down Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, shining in the sun. Custom motorcycles, four-wheelers, and Slingshot roadsters — those three-wheeled beauties with eye-catching designs were also part of the mix.

“To me, it’s a day that means freedom, liberation, and community,” Tatum said. “And it’s good to see so many people come together and celebrate all that.”