There was a special Juneteenth celebration in Albany this weekend.

The Albany Black Chamber of Commerce hosted its first Juneteenth block party and cook-off competition.

It was held at 141 Washington Avenue, outside the chamber office.

The holiday is the oldest national commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. On June 19, 1865, two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued, union troops arrived at Galveston, Texas, to deliver the news the Civil War had ended, and that slaves were now free.

Check out the party by watching the video from NewsChannel 13 photojournalist Brendan Wettergreen.