Hundreds gathered at Veterans Memorial Park in Vineyard Haven Friday to join a march for racial justice and equality, organized in honor of Juneteenth.

Juneteenth is the celebration of African Ameri can freedom and achievement and the oldest known celebration commemorating the ending of slavery in the United States. Dating back to 1865, it was on June 19th that the Union soldiers, led by Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger, landed at Galveston, Tex., with news that the war had ended and that the enslaved were now free. Note that this was two and a half years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation — which had become official on Jan. 1, 1863.

Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States, and this year a host of Oak Bluffs merchants will help celebrate the event by donating some of their proceeds from Saturday, June 19, to help the Martha’s Vineyard Bradley Square project.

Deon’s restaurant will host a reception on Saturday from 4 to 6 p.m. as part of the celebration. Tickets are $10, available at the door.

Juneteenth is the celebration of African American freedom and achievement and the oldest known celebration commemorating the ending of slavery in the United States. The event dates back to June 19, 1865, when Union soldiers, led by Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger, landed at Galveston, Tex., with news that the war had ended and the enslaved were now free. This was two and a half years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation of Jan.

Former ABC news anchor Carole Simpson has made, in her words, thousands and thousands of speeches, so she knew she wanted to do something special on Saturday to really engage those Vineyarders and visitors gathered at Deon’s Restaurant in Oak Bluffs to commemorate Juneteenth, the 145th anniversary of the end of slavery in the United States.

For such a small place, the Island has a surprisingly diverse people — a native tribe, a long-established African American community, waves of Portuguese speakers — and so for its annual Juneteenth celebration, the Martha’s Vineyard NAACP has asked several Islanders to share their interracial experiences here.