On June 19, 1865, a Union general informed enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas, that they were free — two and half years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued. While Juneteenth was already a holiday in Texas and had been celebrated in other places for years, it became a federal holiday in 2021, bolstered by the work of activists like Opal Lee, then 94. Today, it is embraced as a nationwide celebration of Black history and communal reflection across the African diaspora.
Here’s a list of places where visitors can commemorate the holiday and learn more about Black history across the United States.
Houston and Galveston, Texas
The Juneteenth celebration at the Houston Museum of African American Culture is free on June 19, with exhibitions, panels, face painting, immersive theater and more. The Houston Freedmen’s Town Conservancy, an organization founded by formerly enslaved African Americans, is hosting a Juneteenth festival at their visitor center with events that include a fireside chat with the author and scholar Marc Lamont Hill. The nonprofit also hosts various tours of the historic Freedmen’s Town area, with several sites designated by UNESCO as part of the Routes of Enslaved Peoples project.
In Galveston, about an hour southeast by car, the Galveston Historical Foundation’s Juneteenth exhibit “And Still We Rise…” will be open daily from June 16 to 22 ($11.70 for adults). If the weather allows, visit the section of the beach that Black residents frequented, between 28th and 29th Streets on the West End. You can also learn more about the history of the Black lifeguards who watched over Black residents who were not allowed on the East End. For more outdoor exploration, visit the city’s landmarks on Galveston’s self-guided Freedom Walk map.
Atlanta
Juneteenth Atlanta will host its 13th annual parade and music festival on June 14. The parade kicks off a weekend of celebrations in the city, including a 5K freedom run in Piedmont Park and a car show.
On June 21, Camille Rose’s Beauté Noir Fest will feature a music performance by Atlanta native Mariah the Scientist, as well as panels, workshops and food vendors.
New York City
On June 14 in Queens, the Juneteenth Family Festival at Lewis Latimer House — named for the Black inventor and Union soldier — invites people of all ages for games, music and activities. The festival is free with registration.
In Manhattan on June 19, the Guggenheim, in collaboration with the DreamYard Projects’ Rad(ical) Poetry Consortium, is hosting a Late Shift event with poetry, dialogue and performances. Tickets are free for members and $30 for adults.
Another way to reflect on and learn about Black history is in Lower Manhattan at the African Burial Ground National Monument, one of the largest known burial grounds in North America. The outdoor monument and the exhibits at the visitor center are free and open on June 19. Larger groups can book a guided tour with a park ranger.
Montgomery, Ala.
On June 14, Troy University’s Rosa Parks Museum in downtown Montgomery will host its 10th annual Juneteenth celebration with live music, vendors and children’s crafts. The celebration is free and includes admission to the museum’s children’s wing.
For more points of reflection, visit the Legacy Museum, followed by a 15-minute river boat ride to the Freedom Monument Sculpture Park. The National Memorial for Peace and Justice, one of the nation’s first memorials dedicated to Black Americans who were victims of lynchings, is also free and open on June 19.
Tulsa, Okla.
The Greenwood District, once known as Black Wall Street, is teeming with opportunities to observe Juneteenth and learn about African American history. Museums like Greenwood Rising aim to educate visitors on the district’s history as a “Black business mecca” and the site of racial violence during the Tulsa Massacre. (Timed tickets start at $15 for adults and $8 for children 17 and under.)
Oakland, Calif.
Hella Creative, a Bay Area arts collective, returns this year with the Hella Juneteenth Festival on June 19. Events will feature music, vendors and an outdoor market at the Oakland Museum of California. Tickets can be found on Eventbrite.
The West Oakland Mural Project is a public art installation and nonprofit that highlights the history of Black women in the Black Panther Party. You can take in the large mural initially drafted by the artist James Shields or journey inside the mini museum, which is open to tours by appointment.
Washington, D.C.
The Smithsonian will have a full day of free community events on June 19, including yoga, performances of spoken word and music, an interactive community mural and an urban gardening workshop. The National Museum of African American History and Culture also has free events for children with a reading of the book “Amazing Grace” and a music workshop.
From June 19 to 22, the Emancipation Proclamation will be on display at the National Archives Museum during museum hours (admission is free).
Philadelphia
Explore the Germantown neighborhood with a visit to Johnson House, once a way station on the Underground Railroad. On June 14, the historic site is hosting a Juneteenth event that will feature food and live music.
The city of Philadelphia will also host a parade (through West Philly) and festival on June 22, with celebrations continuing at an outdoor festival at Malcolm X Park. On June 14, the Mercer and Penn museums will also have free family-friendly festivities.
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Nia Decaille is an editor on The Times’s Audience team, who also writes about culture and lifestyle.
The post 9 Places to Celebrate Juneteenth This Year appeared first on New York Times.
