A first-of-its-kind in Los Angeles, the First Annual Juneteenth Parade, took place on June 19, 2020 with NBC4 Anchor Michael Brownlee participating, riding along in a vintage convertible.
Inglewood resident Tylynn Burns with friends Ricole Carillo and Aliyah Thomas wanted to find a creative way to bring the Los Angeles community together to celebrate the historic relevance of the African American Independence Day known as Juneteenth. On June 19, 1865 the word reached the slaves in Galveston, Texas that their emancipation was official, even though it had been proclaimed since January 1, 1863.
With Covid-19 restrictions still in place, the event took place from 12 to 2 p.m. and included social distancing with a "drive thru" parade. Kicking off at The Forum in Inglewood, the parade traveled through predominantly Black neighborhoods in Los Angeles and passed through Black-owned businesses. The route also included View Park, Windsor Hills, and the Crenshaw District ending at Leimert Park with the "Pray for the Hood" event hosted by by music artist and entrepreneur Six Sev.
