Juneteenth brings history to Plaza Park

OXNARD, Calif. (KEYT) The 35th Annual Juneteenth Celebration of Ventura County took place in Oxnard.

People filled Plaza Park to enjoy the longest running Juneteenth celebration along the coast.

It included entertainment on two stages and historic displays.

Trooper Art Dyson dressed as a Buffalo Soldier.

"We are here to represent the Buffalo Soldier group that was put in place in the war after the Civil War. Those guys fought with resilience, they fought with effort, they were called the Buffalo Soldiers but actually their initial name was Wild Buffalo Men, that was a term of endearment by the Indians that were there because they didn't go down easy, they didn't kill unless they had to, and if they were attacked," said Dyson.

Dyson believes the name was changed for political reasons.

"We want people to understand where we come from and that was from a group of mighty men that fought for our freedom," said Dyson.

Author, historian and musician Leroy A. "Buddy" Gibson had a number of items on display.

"When the slaves were slaves they hadn't been released until June 19th in Texas, there was a movement to not let them even know about it for almost 2 years later, when the proclamation was read and people started getting to it, then that is when the so-called freedom started," said Gibson, but freedom has not been fully, in my opinion, excepted."

Member of the nonprofit Onyx club were recognized for providing scholarships to students and debutante balls and programs

Members helped organize the event.

People who brought their children helped them learn about June 19, 1865.

The date led to the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of  the end of slavery in the United States.