‘Keep it alive and never forget:’ Iowa family looks to preserve meaning of Juneteenth

By: Kadin Luhmann

Outlets: Iowa Capital Dispatch

Published: June 18, 2026

Words: 1,174

Last Updated: 3 weeks, 1 day ago

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For Charlene Washington’s family in Fort Dodge, Juneteenth is an opportunity to celebrate the end of slavery while recognizing and honoring Black history and culture, something the family has done their whole lives.

The annual Juneteenth celebration in the city’s Pleasant Valley neighborhood symbolizes the family’s history of activism and community organizing, roots that are deeply embedded into the community.

When Washington, 82, moved to Fort Dodge from Mississippi in the 1960s, she brought extensive …

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