Several events took place Saturday in New Bedford to mark the first-ever "official" Juneteenth holiday.

President Joe Biden signed legislation this week to make "Juneteenth," or June 19, a federal holiday. The holiday marks the 1863 emancipation of enslaved people in the United States.

Brian Thomas TSM
Brian Thomas/Townsquare Media
loading...

The events included a pop-up vendors market at the Rotch Jones-Duff House on County Street, sponsored by Buy Black NB. More than 20 vendors representing Black-owned businesses in Southeastern Massachusetts displayed their products and services to people ready to get outside and enjoy the day. Organizer Justina Perry told WBSM's Brian Thomas that more than 150 people did some browsing and buying during the first two hours of the event.

Brian Thomas TSM
Brian Thomas/Townsquare Media
loading...

Also Saturday was an outdoor event at the NAACP building on Cedar Street. It featured entertainment, food trucks, local vendors and arts and crafts. The event kicked off with the singing of the African-American anthem by Jessica Brito.

Brian Thomas TSM
Brian Thomas/Townsquare Media
loading...

A third celebration was held at the site of Abolition Row Park at Seventh and Spring Streets. The event was sponsored by the New Bedford Historical Society and featured music, arts and crafts, and folk tales – plus abolition stories from re-enactors.

LOOK: 50 essential civil rights speeches

Many of the speakers had a lifetime commitment to human rights, but one tried to silence an activist lobbying for voting rights, before later signing off on major civil rights legislation. Several fought for freedom for more than one oppressed group.

Keep reading to discover 50 essential civil rights speeches.

LOOK: Here are the biggest HBCUs in America

More than 100 historically Black colleges and universities are designated by the U.S. Department of Education, meeting the definition of a school "established prior to 1964, whose principal mission was, and is, the education of black Americans."

StudySoup compiled the 20 largest historically Black colleges and universities in the nation, based on 2021 data from the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics. Each HBCU on this list is a four-year institution, and the schools are ranked by the total student enrollment.

More From WBSM-AM/AM 1420