What is Juneteenth and how is it celebrated?
The US holiday of Juneteenth commemorates the emancipation of enslaved peoples in America in 1865. Here’s what you need to know…
I have celebrated Juneteenth for most of my adult life. For me, it symbolises the community and the endurance of Black people through 400 years of slavery and decades of other injustices. It’s a time for celebration and communion, red drinks (to symbolise bloodshed) and soul food. The American Independence Day holiday did not originally recognise Black people’s liberty so Juneteenth is our celebration of freedom, such that it is.
Dating back to 1865, Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the US. On 19 June, 1865 in Galveston, Texas, Union soldiers delivered the news to the enslaved that the Civil War had ended and they were now free. This was a full two and half years after the Emancipation Proclamation had become official in 1863. The fact that these forebearers had to toil, be brutalised and treated like they were inhuman for two long years more underscores the significance of Juneteenth. We celebrate the holiday to honour the strength and fortitude of our ancestors.
Juneteenth was declared a federal holiday in 2021, after years of activism to recognise it, led by 95-year-old Texas grandmother Opal Lee. Six years ago, Lee walked from her home in Fort Worth, Texas to Washington, DC to draw national attention to Juneteenth. Today the holiday is celebrated on 19 June across the US. The festivities typically include education or self-improvement presentations with speakers and panels, parades, rodeos, baseball and lots of barbecues.
Where to celebrate Juneteenth across the USA in 2024
1. Texas
The Juneteenth tradition started in Texas and it was the first state to proclaim it an official holiday in 1979. Appropriately, the biggest and most elaborate Juneteenth celebrations kick off here. The holiday’s birthplace in Galveston hosts weeks of events, including galas on 13 and 14 June, Juneteenth Comedy Fest on 14 June, the annual Juneteenth Festival, Parade and Picnic on 15 June, and an Emancipation March on 19 June. All events are open to the public.
Houston marks Juneteenth with park festivals, Black history bus tours, a concert and the annual Juneteenth Program with Black Cowboy Experiences and a gospel choir, all on 15 June. The festivals will feature food, craft vendors, park tours and live performances. The events are free but tickets are required.
In San Antonio, the Juneteenth festivities run from 15-19 June with live music, a health fair and a golf tournament.
2. California
California holds Juneteenth celebrations across the state, including a Juneteenth Festival in LA at the California African American Museum, with wellness activities, storytellers and workshops. The Hollywood Bowl supplies a Juneteenth musical extravaganza with T-Pain, Ledisi, and Tina Campbell of Mary Mary on June 19. Berkeley holds its 37th annual Juneteenth celebration with live music, dance and theater presentations on June 16. San Jose will present a Juneteenth in the Streets celebration on June 15 with live music, food and educational workshops.
3. Washington, DC
Washington, DC offers an impressive variety of Juneteenth events, starting with Freedom Fest on 14 June, which offers a performance by Musiq Soulchild, a scholarship presentation and fireworks on the river. The Juneteenth Freedom Celebration at Anacostia Community Museum presents cultural performances, exhibits and food trucks on 19 June. The annual display of the Emancipation Proclamation, with its companion document, General Order No.3, which granted freedom to the last enslaved people of Galveston, will be exhibited from 18-20 June at the National Archives.
4. New York City
New York organises a plethora of Juneteenth celebrations including Brooklyn’s dazzling weekend line-up Juneteenth NY Celebration, which highlights an awards ceremony on 13 June, a restaurant crawl from 14-19 June and a festival with performances, vendors and food on 15 June. The Juneteenth Celebration at Battery Park features Black Cowboys, arts and crafts, music and book signings on 15 June. The Broadway League’s Black Broadway initiative hosts Broadway Celebrates Juneteenth , with a free outdoor concert focused on Black artistry on 19 June, while “Some Sing: A Juneteenth Celebration” celebrates musical genres with Black roots, from blues to zydeco, in a free performance at the Lincoln Center on June 19.
5. Chicago
Chicago’s significant African American history inspires a varied range of Juneteenth events. The DuSable Black History Museum hosts an annual Juneteenth Celebration with live performances, exhibits, food and more than 80 Black-owned businesses on 19 June.
The Juneteenth Village Fest commemorates the liberation of African descendants with a free, family-focused event that features carnival rides, games, food and Chicago-born rapper Common performing live on 15 June in Douglass Park. Urban historian Shermann “Dilla Thomas also guides visitors through the historic Black community of North Lawndale on an interactive bus tour of the neighbourhood’s cultural sights and landmarks on 15 June.