Black Lives Matter march and vigil set for Black Mountain

Town Square event set for 6 p.m.

Local organizers are holding a vigil and march in the Black Mountain Town Square in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. The event will feature guest speakers from the local Black community and Black Mountain Police Chief Shawn Freeman. Courtesy photo

The Valley Echo
June 19, 2020

Local organizers will hold a peaceful vigil and march in Black Mountain this evening to support the Black Lives Matter movement.

The gathering, which follows weeks of worldwide protests in response to the death of George Floyd at the hands of officers from the Minneapolis Police Department, is scheduled for 6 - 8 p.m. in Town Square.

Attendees are encouraged to bring signs and face coverings, and asked to maintain social distance during the rally.

The vigil will feature a series of guest speakers from the community, including Black leaders and Black Mountain Police Chief Shawn Freeman, according to organizers.

The June 19 vigil coincides with Juneteenth, which celebrates the announcement of the emancipation of slaves in Galveston, Texas in 1865. Also known as Emancipation Day, Juneteenth commemorates the anniversary of Union army general Gordon Granger’s announcement of federal orders granting freedom to all people held as slaves.