On the 155th anniversary of the Emancipation Declaration being read in a Texas town that practised slavery, Black people in Vancouver and their allies held a march through the streets of Vancouver.

On Friday (June 19) in the city's first large "Juneteenth" demonstration and celebration, people marched from Jack Poole Plaza down Thurlow Street to Sunset Beach.

Juneteenth is also known as Freedom Day and Emancipation Day. 

The event was organized by Nova Stevens and Shamika Mitchell.

Below, you can see some spectacular images taken by Vancouver photographer Joy M. Kaegi Maurer.