La Campana de la Amistad Coreana de San Pedro Acoge Ceremonia del Juneteenth con Música y Arte ● UPDATING

A Juneteenth ceremony took place at San Pedro’s Korean Friendship Bell on Friday, June 19, 2026, featuring speeches, musical performances, and an art exhibit. The "Let Freedom Ring" celebration, held annually since 2021, included performances by recording artist Windy Barnes Farrell and an art exhibit showcasing works by Inglewood artist Gary Green.

The event commemorated Juneteenth, which marks the date on June 19, 1865, when Union soldiers brought the news of freedom to the last enslaved Black people in Galveston, Texas, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed. Although Black Americans have celebrated Juneteenth for generations, it became a federal holiday in 2021.

Los Angeles City Councilmember Tim McOsker addressed the crowd, and attendees participated in ringing the bell, feeling its reverberations. Filmmakers Terrence Williams and Arnold Chun also spoke about their films during the event.

The Korean Friendship Bell, a gift from South Korea to the United States to honor the U.S. bicentennial and Korean War veterans, was formally dedicated by former Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley in October 1976.

Fifty years later, the bell remains one of San Pedro’s most distinctive modern-era landmarks. During the dedication year, about 30 craftsmen from South Korea assembled the pagoda-like structure housing the bell, one of the largest in the world, on a windswept hilltop in Angels Gate Park.

The bell is listed among Los Angeles’ historic-cultural monuments.

The celebration drew dozens of attendees who listened to speakers and singers, including Windy Farrell and Sunny Daye, who performed together. A group photo captured city officials, guests, and attendees.

Raphael Richardson served as contributing photographer for the event, capturing multiple images of the ceremony, including the ringing of the bell and the art exhibit.