For James T. West, co-chairman of Natchez’s Juneteenth Committee, Saturday’s libation ceremony and memorial walk was a chance to pay homage to ancestors and honor them for their sacrifices.

&uot;We try to look back in order to look forward,&uot; West said. &uot;The more we confront our past, the more we can deal with our future.&uot;

People came from as far as the Virgin Islands to participate in the event.

The libation ceremony began at the Forks of the Road enslavement market site at the intersection of D’Evereux Drive, St. Catherine Street and Liberty Road.

Once the ceremony concluded, participants began the memorial march to the Melrose Natchez National Historic Park for a family fun day scheduled Saturday afternoon.

The fun day event featured children’s activities, house tours, gospel choirs and a number of local rhythm and blues acts.

Royal Hill, chairman of the Juneteenth celebration, said many churches, groups and organizations participated in the event.

&uot;We also have many volunteers from local high schools who help with the event,&uot; Hill said.

Hill said the event is also a venue for local citizens to have an annual activity.

&uot;It gives us an avenue to show what African-American tourism can be,&uot; Hill said.

Faye Greer brought a youth group from the Poplar Springs Missionary Baptist Church in Philadelphia to experience the ceremony.

Greer said a friend had informed her about the event after finding out about it from a Web site.

&uot;It’s the first time they’ve been to Natchez and the libation ceremony,&uot; Greer said. &uot;We learned so much about the hardships and slave trades. It was very moving.&uot;

The youth group makes a trip every year to learn about history and their heritage.

&uot;Last year we took them to Memphis, Tenn., to the National Civil Rights Museum,&uot; Greer said.

Greer also said that it was a good experience for the children to &uot;reflect on the hardships that our ancestors experienced so we could have our freedom today.&uot;

The Miss-Lou’s Juneteenth celebration began Thursday with the unveiling of a historical marker at the site of the Rhythm Night Club Fire. Events continued Friday night with a fashion show and a &uot;Taste of Soul&uot; show with food prepared by local chefs.

The event marked the anniversary of June 19, 1865, when slaves in Galveston, Texas, received word of the Emancipation Proclamation. The June 19 event was declared an official state holiday in Texas in 1978. The declaration was the first official African-American holiday in the United States.