Rosalind Cummings-Yeates | 17 June 2022
Celebrating Juneteenth across the USA
The US holiday of Juneteenth marks the emancipation of Black American slaves in 1865, but it’s far more than a history lesson...
The US holiday of Juneteenth marks the emancipation of Black American slaves in 1865, but it’s far more than a history lesson...
When the first anniversary of American independence was celebrated, the US still did not recognise Black people’s liberty, so Juneteenth became our celebration of freedom, such that it is. It marks the end of slavery in the US, and I have celebrated this day for most of my adult life. It’s a time of communion; of red drinks (to symbolise bloodshed) and soul food. And for me, it symbolises the community and the endurance of Black people over the past 400 years, across slavery and decades of injustices.
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. That this came two and a half years after Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation first promised freedom is one of many tragedies. We celebrate the day to honour the strength and fortitude of our ancestors, but even this didn’t come easily.
Juneteenth was only declared a federal holiday in 2021, after years of campaigning to recognise it as such. Among the more prominent activists was 95-year-old Texan Opal Lee. Six years ago, she walked from her home in Fort Worth, Texas, to Washington DC to draw attention to Juneteenth. Now the day is celebrated on 19 June across the US, with festivities that range from education and self-improvement presentations to parades, rodeos and lots of barbecues.
Participants march in the Juneteenth celebration parade in Harlem in New York (Alamy)
The Juneteenth tradition started in Texas, which was the first state to proclaim it an official holiday in 1979. Appropriately, the biggest and most elaborate Juneteenth celebrations kick off here. Galveston hosts weeks of events, including three different days of galas, with the first starting on 1 June. There are also Juneteenth Freedom Walk tours, a free webinar covering the day’s history, a festival, parade and picnic, and the Juneteenth Jubilee. All events are open to the public, with information on dates and times found on the city website.
Elsewhere, Houston marks the anniversary of Juneteenth with a two-day festival in the 150-year-old Emancipation Park. This will feature food, vendors, park tours and live music, including local gospel artists and R&B stars The Isley Brothers, Sheila E and Maze featuring Frankie Beverly. The events are free but tickets are required. Also in Texas is the San Antonio Juneteenth Festival, which has gospel music, a health fair and even a golf tournament.
California holds Juneteenth celebrations across the state on 19 June, including a Juneteenth Festival in LA’s Westchester Park with a marketplace, panel discussions, drumming and food. The Hollywood Bowl also hosts a musical extravaganza with Robert Glasper, The Roots and the Re-Collective Orchestra. Meanwhile, Berkeley holds its annual Juneteenth celebration, which has live music, dance and theatre. San Jose will also present a Juneteenth in the Streets celebration on June 18 – expect plenty of music, food and educational workshops.
Washington DC offers an impressive array of Juneteenth events, with details on the city website. Celebrations kick off with the Freedom Festival, which has a virtual Juneteenth reflection panel and a concert. Moechella Unity Fest marks the occasion by focusing on the importance of go-go music to DC culture, hosting bands, a market and food trucks at Gateway Pavilion. On June 19, Passages to Progress walks visitors through Anacostia’s historic business district, while the Juneteenth Community Day hosts a Black-owned business pop-up with food, live music and spoken-word performances at 3 Stars Brewing Company on Chillum Place.
If you can’t travel, virtual Juneteenth celebrations offer another way to honour the day. The National Museum of African American History & Culture provides an array of virtual dates. The Grown Woman Dance Collective also offers a free virtual Juneteenth Celebration through Dance on June 25. And lastly, civil rights leader and broadcasting pioneer Xernona Clayton will present a free virtual discussion about the evolution of Juneteenth (‘Juneteenth and the Transformative Power of Time’) on June 16; remember to sign up at Eventbrite.
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