Four hundred years ago, slavery in America began and the future of our Black brothers and sisters was forever changed. Throughout the past four centuries, Black people in the United States have overcome some of history's most dehumanizing acts. On January 1, 1863, the condition of our people was slightly altered, as Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, freeing the enslaved. However, all slaves did not receive the news immediately; it took two and a half years for the announcement to reach Texas.The monumental date, June 19, 1865 became recognized as Juneteenth.

As we continue to move forward, let’s use Juneteenth to fuel our fire for equality, in honor of the ancestors who came before us. Here are 19 events celebrating Juneteenth across the country!

1) Annual Juneteenth Fort Worth Celebration (Fort Worth, Texas)

Juneteenth celebrations in Fort Worth, Texas have already begun with pageants, cheerleading competitions and performances. However the festivities will continue through the June 15 to 16 weekend and into next week. Guests can expect a 5k walk or run, grand parade, barbecue cook off, basketball tournament, performances, stage play and more. The Essilor Vision Foundation will even provide free eye screenings and issue free eyeglasses to kids, on site. The parade will start at O.D. Wyatt High School, while the other festivities take place on the Tarrant County College south campus.

2) 147th Annual Juneteenth Celebration (Houston, Texas)

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A post shared by Emancipation Park Conservancy (@epconservancy) on May 26, 2019 at 6:07am PDT

The Emancipation Park Conservancy will celebrate Juneteenth on Saturday, June 15 at Emancipation Park in Houston, Texas. A parade will start the celebration, followed by an event that includes a kids’ zone, stage performances, educational park tours, art displays, food, games and much more. On Wednesday June 19, the park will wrap up the celebration with youth activities, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

3) 34th Annual HP Juneteenth Parade and Festival (Dallas, Texas)

The Hamilton Park Historic Preservation Foundation, the HP Next Generation Leaders, AllinD10 and the City of Dallas Park and Recreation Department invite guests to partake in their yearly parade and unity walk on Saturday, June 22. The parade begins at 10:00 a.m. at the New Mt. Zion Church and will end at the Willie B. Johnson Recreation Center. After the parade, the festival will begin immediately from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

4) Juneteenth Atlanta Parade & Music Festival (Atlanta, Georgia)

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A post shared by Juneteenth Atlanta (@juneteenthatl) on Jan 28, 2019 at 8:18pm PST

To celebrate Juneteenth, the city of Atlanta will host its annual parade and music festival from Friday June 14 to Sunday June 16. Angie Stone is this year’s ambassador general, presiding over a talented lineup of performers. In addition to the festivities and food vendors, this event hosted at The Home Depot Backyard near Mercedes Benz Stadium boasts that it “offers the largest and best Father’s Day weekend celebration in the nation!”

5)
Juneteenth Culture Ball: A Celebration of Black Royalty (Atlanta, GA)

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A post shared by Oak Atlanta (@oakatl) on Jun 3, 2019 at 3:46pm PDT

Hosted on Wednesday, June 19 at the black-owned restaurant and lounge ŌAK Atlanta, the Juneteenth Culture Ball will celebrate Black history and culture in a regal occasion. Deemed “a celebration of Black royalty,” the event’s flyer encourages guests to wear crowns and be creative.

6)
Juneteenth in DC Festival (Washington, D.C.)

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A post shared by ONE DC (@one_dc) on May 14, 2018 at 8:49am PDT

Brought to you by ONE DC, the Juneteenth in DC festival takes place on Saturday June 15, in the nation’s capital. The event will feature live go-go music, speakers, food vendors, community outreach booths, local artists, crafters, jewelry-makers and more! Though the event is free, attendees can support the organization’s fundraising campaign to renovate the Black Workers & Wellness Center, a community-controlled space in Anacostia.

7) 10th Annual Juneteenth Festival (Brooklyn, New York)

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A post shared by ????#UmojaEvents???? ????646-522-9869 (@umojaevents1) on May 20, 2019 at 5:03am PDT

Umoja Events and Balloon Decor will celebrate its 10th annual Juneteenth festival under the title, "Back to The Future." The event promises to “take guests through the journey of the African American experience using the lens of love while bridging the gap between past and present.” Taking place on Saturday, June 15, bands, dancers and local community leaders will guide Umoja’s Juneteenth parade. Festivities will follow at Gershwin Park.

8) The ABC’s: African-Americans From Bondage Through Crow (Harlem, New York)

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A post shared by American Slavery Project (@amslaveryproj) on Jun 10, 2019 at 7:01am PDT

Held at the National Black Theatre in New York, on Monday June 17, The American Slavery Project will present their last two plays from their 2019 play reading series, The ABC’s: African-Americans From Bondage Through Crow. The two-play event, which requires a ticket purchase, will feature a performance of Ode to Juneteenth and an encore presentation of In The Parlour, ending with music and refreshments.

9) 7th Annual Juneteenth Celebration at the National A. Philip Randolph Pullman Porter Museum (Chicago, Illinois)

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A post shared by A P R Pullman Porter Museum (@aprpullmanportermuseum) on Jun 3, 2019 at 2:21pm PDT

The Black Mall, a one-stop retail shop for black-owned businesses located in Chicago, Illinois, will host the National A. Philip Randolph Pullman Porter Museum’s seventh annual Juneteenth celebration, which includes live performances, a children’s village and a parade. The parade kicks off Saturday June 15 at 10 a.m and will proceed from 103rd to 108th street. The event will end at 6 p.m.

10) 69th Annual San Francisco Juneteenth Festival (San Francisco, California)

Held on Saturday June 15, this year’s San Francisco Juneteenth Festival will continue the tradition of being one of the largest African-American celebrations in California. The 2019 Juneteenth parade has been renamed the Rachel Brooke Townsend San Francisco Juneteenth parade, in honor of its committed organizer, who passed away earlier this year. Held on Fillmore Street, the activity line-up includes a car show, fashion show, live dance/music performances, a village marketplace and much more.

11) Juneteenth “In the Town” Celebration (Oakland, California)

The city of Oakland and District 6 Councilman Loren Taylor will host Juneteenth “In the Town” on Saturday June 15. Residents of Oakland and the surrounding communities are invited to the Eastmont Town Center to enjoy the state holiday. Following the theme “Communities Coming Together for the People,” festivities will include hip-hop dance lessons, health screenings, food tasting and retail vendors.

12) Juneteenth Celebration at the California African American Museum (Los Angeles, California)

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A post shared by Calif African American Museum (@caaminla) on Jun 10, 2019 at 10:26am PDT

On Saturday June 15, the California African American Museum invites guests to bring picnic blankets and enjoy a free afternoon at their location. The museum will have DJ sets by Francesca Harding and family activities for all to appreciate. Guests can design family quilt squares, create wearable art, design ancestor masks, learn how to drum and more.

13) 13th Annual Philadelphia Juneteenth Festival (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)

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A post shared by Horizons@GSFS (@horizonsgreenestreetfriends) on Jun 14, 2019 at 3:11am PDT

Philadelphia locals welcome Juneteenth celebrators to a Juneteenth street festival on Germantown Avenue. On Saturday June 15, attendees can shop through a historical marketplace, view exhibits on freedom, watch street performers, sample different foods and engage in other family-friendly activities. In addition to the street festival, a panel discussion will educate guests about the impact of the city of Philadelphia and the state of Pennsylvania’s high incarceration rates of women and girls in an effort to increase awareness about this social problem.

14) The Philadelphia Juneteenth Parade and Music Festival (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)

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A post shared by Pennsylvania Juneteenth INC (@juneteenthphila) on Mar 14, 2019 at 6:00am PDT

On Saturday, June 22 at Malcolm X Park there will be another Philadelphia-based Juneteenth Celebration provided by the Pennsylvania Juneteenth Initiative, Inc.

The event will begin with a “Honor Our Ancestors” breakfast which will be followed by a parade and music festival. During the parade, the route will spotlight local businesses and the city’s historical 52nd Street district. Also, a special naming ceremony will occur as 52nd Street will be renamed to Muhammad Ali Way.

15) Annual Valley of the Sun Juneteenth Worldwide Historic Celebration (Phoenix, Arizona)

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A post shared by Arizona Informant (@azinformant) on Jun 11, 2019 at 10:02am PDT

Held at Eastlake Park Community Center on Saturday, June 15, Valley of the Sun Juneteenth is Arizona’s official state holiday celebration. The event will consist of a vendor marketplace, food court, cultural stage, children's activities, arts and crafts vendors, youth town hall, free health screenings, historical exhibits, live music and a whole lot more.

16) 3rd Annual Juneteenth Celebration (Montgomery, Alabama)

The Rosa Parks Museum is blocking off a section of Montgomery Street to make way for their third annual Juneteenth celebration. The free event will feature local food and merchant vendors, performances, a children's area, free tours of the museum musical performances and a 1950s Montgomery City bus.

17) Juneteenth Urban Music Festival (Memphis, Tennessee)

Located in downtown Memphis at the Robert R. Church Park, this weekend-long festival will feature a kids zone, health and wellness screenings, car and bike show, and various arts and crafts vendors. There will even be a praise fest on Sunday!

18) Juneteenth Jubilee Afterglow (Detroit, Michigan)

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A post shared by Juneteenth Jubilee (@juneteenthjubilee_detroit) on Jun 13, 2019 at 6:37am PDT

In tandem with local Detroit visionaries, the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History will host an experience celebrating black culture, art and freedom. The ticketed event, which boasts the theme, “Educate, Activate, and Celebrate,” is a function meant to raise funds and increase awareness and participation in Juneteenth celebrations in and around Detroit. There will be live music, poetry, social games and a black art gallery (events before 6 p.m. are free to the public.)

19) Juneteenth at MFA (Boston, Massachusetts)

Presented in partnership with The Urban Labs, the Museum of Fine Arts (MFA) will host its seventh annual celebration featuring thoughtful discussion, powerful art and engaging activities featuring artists from Boston's local creative community. Free admission begins at 4 p.m. and highlights will include a group-wide cultural dance lesson, performances of musical narratives, film screening, pop-up tours and much more.

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