Saturday's parade had many men and women dressed in Afro style fashion. Traditional bongo drums and music played in the background as the parade dancers boogied down Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.

Saturday's parade had many men and women dressed in Afro style fashion. Traditional bongo drums and music played in the background as the parade dancers boogied down Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. / GPB

Atlantans gathered this past weekend to celebrate Juneteenth, the day in 1865 when Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas to announce the abolition of slavery and the end of the Civil War. That came two years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. In 2011, Georgia  became the 37th state to recognize Juneteenth as a state holiday. 

On Second Thought producer Summer Evans attended the Juneteenth Festival in Atlanta and brought back this audio postcard.

Today, Atlanta's African-American community commemorates Juneteenth with a festival that includes Africana music, a black history parade, an Afro fashion show, Caribbean food sold by black vendors, tribal face painting and more.

In this year's parade, the sixth annual, there was also a special float that paid tribute to Martin Luther King Jr. 50 years after his death. 

The parade started at Morris Brown College and ended at Mozley Park in Atlanta.

The parade started at Morris Brown College and ended at Mozley Park in Atlanta. / GPB

A vendor paints traditional tribal face paint on a girl from a high school band who was in the festival's parade.

A vendor paints traditional tribal face paint on a girl from a high school band who was in the festival's parade. / GPB

"Black excellence" and "melanin magic shirts" hang at a vendor's tent at the Juneteenth Festival. / GPB

Two women celebrating the Juneteenth festival on one of the colorful floats in the parade.

Two women celebrating the Juneteenth festival on one of the colorful floats in the parade.

The LE dance team breaks it down to a Drake song in the parade.

The LE dance team breaks it down to a Drake song in the parade. / GPB

Harlam Duru is a vendor at the fesitval. His company's name is Healm, they do headwraps and create festive hats.

Harlam Duru is a vendor at the fesitval. His company's name is Healm, they do headwraps and create festive hats. / GPB

A Dodge Charger with drop-top doors starts off the parade.

A Dodge Charger with drop-top doors starts off the parade. / GPB

Hand-made jewelry and clothing was sold by African-American business owners at the festival.

Hand-made jewelry and clothing was sold by African-American business owners at the festival. / GPB