GREENSBORO, N.C. — While Monday is Juneteenth the weekend was full of celebrations for the holiday that marks Black emancipation from slavery in America.
Vendors at the black food truck festival downtown Greensboro said it was a major hit.
Tonga Ramseur's food truck is taking a much-needed break. Over the weekend, folks waited in line to get a taste of her Ethio-Indi alkaline and vegan cuisine.
"I love vegan food,” said food truck fest attendee Vanessa Williams. “I was able to come out and enjoy some vegan food.”
Ramseur said she nearly cried when she saw the line of folks interested in trying vegan food.
“This woman never had vegan food before she said honey that was so good,” Ramseur said. “She said I tried to lick that bowl.”
Ramseur said she made nearly 300 meals during Saturday's 3rd Annual Juneteenth Black Food Truck Festival in downtown Greensboro.
“I ran out of all the burgers I had to sale,” Ramseur said. “The hotdogs were gone too all the fufu was gone and a spoonful left of the Ethiopian greens.”
She said the business was vital.
“It’s a blessing for me thank y'all I can pay my rent next month,” Ramseur said.
She's also thankful for the city of Greensboro and its willingness to prop up black businesses that don't have their own brick-and-mortar locations.
“The first year we didn't know if we were going to be allowed to do it some businesses said it would take away from their business but we let them know it’s enough pie for all of us,” Ramseur said. “This year they wanted us to come down. They saw what we said we bring this downtown it brings you business as well.”
More than 40 black-owned vendors, businesses and food trucks set up shop at the festival.
April Parker is the founder of the black food truck festival.
“Because of the history of exclusion it's important to support these non-brick and mortars in the absence of what we typically haven't been able to have,” Parker said.
Serving up delicious meals is just a piece of the pie, Organizers hope folks cut into and digest the full history of Juneteenth.
“Finally we became free and this is a way to commemorate the anniversary of that freedom day In 1865,” said Greensboro city councilwoman Sharon Hightower.
Organizers said it'll be a few weeks before they can determine the economic boost this brought black-owned businesses.