Shyanne Belzer/MDN Minot held its first Juneteenth ceremony to celebrate the freedom of all slaves in the United States that took place on June 19 in 1865. The first-ever event held was led by La Jada Wilson. Those in attendance, an estimated 50 people, were told the history of Juneteenth and how around 250,000 people remained enslaved for two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was given by President Abraham Lincoln. When asked why celebrating Juneteenth is important, Wilson’s response was “It’s freedom.” It was the day that all Americans were free. The Juneteenth ceremony ended with the raising of the Juneteenth flag on the pole outside Minot’s City Hall alongside the U.S. flag and the North Dakota flag. The flag was designed by L. J. Graff. Those who put the Juneteenth ceremony on hope that the event will grow bigger and better with the coming years.