Juneteenth is the commemoration of the end of slavery in the United States. The origins of the commemoration date back to June 19, 1865, when enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas, first heard that the Civil War had ended and they were free, the June 19, 1865 date was more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation and two months after General Robert E. Lee surrendered his army to General Ulysses S. Grant, but, due to the lack of Union soldiers in Texas to enforce emancipation, enslaved African Americans were still held in bondage. That changed on June 19th, 1865, when Union General Gordon Granger entered Texas with a force large enough to enforce the freeing the enslaved.
Juneteenth gets its name from a combination of June and nineteenth and is also known as Black Independence Day, Juneteenth Independence Day, and Emancipation Day. Juneteenth is celebrated across the nation and previous event included parades, live music, and live speakers that sought to educate, empower, and entertain celebrants. On June 17th, 2020, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo declared June 19th a state holiday.
Below is a list of events related to the Juneteenth commemoration:
Events:
Juneteenth Film Screening and Discussion
New York Public Library
June 16, 2022
3:00pm-4:00pm
https://www.nypl.org/events/programs/2022/06/16/juneteenth-film-screening
Juneteenth History and Jewelry Making Program
New York Public Library
June 17, 2022
1:00pm-2:30pm
https://www.nypl.org/events/programs/2022/06/17/juneteenth-program
Juneteenth NYC
June 17-19, 2022
https://www.juneteenthny.com/
Juneteenth 2020- A South Pearl Street Festival
June 18, 2022
12:00pm-5:00pm
https://www.albany.com/event/juneteenth-celebration-33865/
Juneteenth Celebration
Connetquot River State Park Preserve
June 18, 2022
1:00pm-3:00pm
https://parks.ny.gov/events/event.aspx?e=8-32344.0
Juneteenth Parade
June 18, 2022
11:00am
https://syracusejuneteenth.org/
Juneteenth of Buffalo Festival
June 18, 2022
11:00am-8:00pm
https://www.buffalojuneteenth.com/event-details/juneteenth-festival-2022-06-18-11-00
Celebrate Juneteenth
New York Public Library
June 18, 2022
2:00pm-3:00pm
https://www.nypl.org/events/programs/2022/06/18/celebrate-juneteenth
Songs of Slavery and Emancipation
National Abolition Hall of Fame & Museum
June 18, 2022
7:00pm
https://www.nationalabolitionhalloffameandmuseum.org/events.html
Juneteenth Celebration
Queens Historical Society
June 20, 2022
3:00pm-6:00pm
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/juneteenth-celebration-tickets-362558601537
