Thursday morning dawned bright and warm for the 27th annual Austin Central Texas Juneteenth parade. Music filled the streets as a crisp white linen band made its way down East Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard. The air buzzed with the rhythm of stomping feet and joyful laughter—the city had created a space where celebration could thrive. While corporate influences often dilute holidays, Austin’s Juneteenth has proudly maintained its roots in history, joy, and community. Given its powerful legacy, the honor is well deserved.

Photographed by Tenny Rudolph

Families who secured prime spots before the 10 a.m. crowd waved red, green, and black flags, their faces cooled by the occasional breeze. Between drumbeats, parents whispered to children about the meaning of Juneteenth. Though the Emancipation Proclamation had declared enslaved people in Confederate territory free, it took military force to ensure the Confederacy complied—a struggle that placed Black soldiers at the heart of a seemingly impossible battle. Yet through determination and courage, the 2,000 troops who marched into Galveston, Texas, secured freedom for 250,000 enslaved people, forever marking June 19 as Juneteenth.

Photographed by Tenny Rudolph

While Juneteenth began in Texas, its spirit of reclamation and identity resonates worldwide. The contrast between families once torn apart and loved ones now gathering serves as a powerful reminder: joy itself is revolutionary. Visibility becomes unity. Among the crowd, Thomas Edge, sporting ginger-hued twists and a sharp masc-presenting T-shirt, reflected on what the day meant. “I’m from a small town,” Edge said. “It’s 80% Black. Moving to Austin, where Black people make up less than 10%, you feel that absence everywhere. It’s meaningful to have a time—not just locally, but nationally—where Blackness is celebrated in all its forms.”

Photographed by Tenny Rudolph

From beaming aunties to modern cowboys astride mahogany horses, freedom took shape in countless ways. Juneteenth honors the sacrifices and love that made today’s wholeness possible.

Photographed by Tenny Rudolph