This week we honor and celebrate Juneteenth! Juneteenth is a celebration marking the end of slavery in the United States. It commemorates the day that the last enslaved African Americans in Texas were pronounced free on June 19,1865 with the arrival of U.S. General Gordon Granger and his troops in Galveston – more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued by Abraham Lincoln and more than two months after the official end of the American Civil War.
The date was first celebrated the very next year as “Jubilee Day” by freedmen in Texas and soon began to spread to other parts of the United States. It was first made an official holiday in 1979 in Texas and is today recognized in nearly all 50 states whether officially or unofficially. In addition to celebrating the end of enslavement, it has become a day to recognize and highlight the rich legacy of black achievement, innovation and activism.
Ready to celebrate or just want to learn more about Juneteenth? Check out a sampling of events around Atlanta commemorating this year’s celebration:
All Month in June: Juneteenth at Atlanta History Center
Virtual Commemoration with Online Resources All Month
All month long in June, The Atlanta History Center will host a virtual Juneteenth commemoration with information, education, resources and events. From online exhibitions to author talks and more, this virtual event is an immersive way to learn more about the history and legacy of Juneteenth and the African American community in Atlanta and across the United States.
Friday, June 18 – Sunday, June 20: Juneteenth Atlanta Parade and Music Festival
Centennial Olympic Park
The 9th annual Juneteenth Atlanta Festival starts Friday, June 18 at 2 pm with a three-day cultural and arts festival featuring music, celebrations and events scheduled through 8 pm Sunday, June 20. The Juneteenth Black History Parade starts at 12 noon on Saturday, June 19 on Auburn Avenue beginning at Jackson Street and ending at Centennial Olympic Park to join the festival which is the largest of metro Atlanta’s Juneteenth celebrations.
Friday, June 18: Summer Movie Experience Juneteenth Celebration
The Home Depot Backyard
The celebration starts at 6 pm with live entertainment from celebrity DJ Eclazz and live music by Trey Daniels, a popup market with more than 20 local merchants, interactive art exhibits, food trucks and kids zone with pony rides, rock climbing, face painting and lawn games. Then at 9 pm catch the movie on the lawn, Marvel Studios’ Black Panther (PG-13), on a 70’ screen under the stars.
Saturday, June 19 – Sunday, July 11: African American Burial Grounds Tour
Historic Oakland Cemetery
Commemorate Juneteenth with a free tour of Oakland Cemetery’s African American Burial Grounds, offered eight times from June 19 through July 11. This tour will stop at the final resting place of a number of Atlanta’s African American pioneers as well as an interactive art installation by artist Charmaine Minniefield, “Remembrance as Resistance: Preserving Black Narratives”. The tour is free but donations are accepted to benefit the ongoing restoration of the African American Burial Grounds.