This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2007, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
African-American community activists are trying to get Utah politicians to recognize "Juneteenth" along with its neighbors.
Wyoming, Idaho and Arizona already officially observe the date - commemorating Union soldiers spreading word of the end of slavery after the Civil War - as a national holiday.
Salt Lake City celebrated with a festival this weekend, but Juneteenth President Harry Lee said that's not where the activism stops. His group is pushing legislation at Capitol Hill that would make Juneteenth a holiday in the Beehive State as well.
Lee said the festival - complete with basketball tournaments, live music, car sales and hygiene-education - carries the important purpose of bridging gaps between cultures.
"The purpose is to bring unity into the community by better knowing your ethnic counterparts," he said. "This is a very diverse community - it's grown to be. And it's just going to get more diverse as far as culture is concerned."
The celebration featured various gospel choirs and rhythm and blues artists with headliner Booker T. Jones. Among the speakers was Pastor France Davis, who spoke about black history in Utah.
"This is something all of us ought to be able to celebrate," Davis said in a Friday interview. "This is more of a celebration, but it's intertwined with presentations that will hopefully challenge and engage the people."
Davis said blacks in Utah are facing three major issues: affordable housing, as prices skyrocket; access to good, affordable medical care; and political representation.
Davis pointed out that there are no blacks in the state legislature. But he added that Utah's black population expects their elected officials to "recognize the [African-American] presence and meet some of their needs."
Lee said until Utah's diverse population understands one another, "there's always going to be a barrier."
"We are a part of the community," Lee said. "They care about us, and we care about our community."