TYLER, Texas — The Miss Juneteenth East Texas Pageant will be held this Sunday afternoon as a way to honor the emancipation of slaves in the United States.
Presented by Visions of Beauty and Excellence, the pageant's theme this year is "Shades of Me," to emphasize that Black women and girls are beautiful in every shade.
The event kicks off at 4 p.m. Sunday at the Tyler Rose Garden. Presale tickets are $10 and can be purchased here. Tickets at the door will cost $15.
Juneteenth is a federal holiday that honors the end of slavery in 1865.
Young ladies from ages 1 to 18 years old who are from East Texas and across the state participate in the pageant. The organization seeks to provide mentorship, promote youth empowerment and educate the contestants about culture and history.
Some of the categories include: Baby Jewel (1-year-olds), Little Jewel (2-3 year-olds), Miss Mentee (4-6 year-olds), Little Miss (7-10 year-olds), Junior Miss (11-14 year-olds), Miss (15-18 year-olds), Miss Social Butterfly (all ages), Miss Black Girl Magic (all ages) and Miss Congeniality (all ages).
