(Hartford, Conn. WTIC)-For the first time in Connecticut's history, the Juneteenth flag is flying at the state Capitol.
Juneteenth commemorates the end of slavery in the U.S.
Bridgeport State Senator Marilyn Moore says she didn't learn of Juneteenth until she was in her fifties. She calls the effort to suppress it "the dirty secret of America."
The acting President of Juneteenth Fairfield County, Deborah Caviness, says the day should be used as a call to action. "156 years later, black Americans are still being discriminated against, racially profiled...black and brown businesses are being denied loans and marginalized communities still don't have access to fresh and healthy food."
This Saturday, Bridgeport holds its annual Juneteenth parade, first held in 1991.
The U.S. Senate has passed a measure calling for Juneteenth to become a national holiday.
