What is Juneteenth and how is it celebrated?
The US holiday of Juneteenth commemorates the emancipation of enslaved peoples in America in 1865. Here’s what you need to know…
I have celebrated Juneteenth for most of my adult life. For me, it symbolises the community and the endurance of Black people through 400 years of slavery and decades of other injustices. It’s a time for celebration and communion, red drinks (to symbolise bloodshed) and soul food. The American Independence Day holiday did not originally recognise Black people’s liberty so Juneteenth is our celebration of freedom, such that it is.
Dating back to 1865, Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the US. 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. This was a full two and half years after the Emancipation Proclamation had become official in 1863. The fact that these forebearers had to toil, be brutalised and treated like they were inhuman for two long years more underscores the significance of Juneteenth. We celebrate the holiday to honour the strength and fortitude of our ancestors.
Juneteenth was declared a federal holiday in 2021, after years of activism to recognise it, led by 95-year-old Texas grandmother Opal Lee. Six years ago, Lee walked from her home in Fort Worth, Texas to Washington, DC to draw national attention to Juneteenth. Today the holiday is celebrated on 19 June across the US. The festivities typically include education or self-improvement presentations with speakers and panels, parades, rodeos, baseball and lots of barbecues.
Where to celebrate Juneteenth across the USA in 2025
1. Texas
The Juneteenth tradition started in Texas and it was the first state to proclaim it an official holiday in 1979. Appropriately, the biggest and most elaborate Juneteenth celebrations kick off here. The holiday’s birthplace in Galveston hosts weeks of events, including the annual Juneteenth Festival, Parade and Picnic on 19 June, and an Emancipation March, also on 19 June. All events are open to the public.
Houston marks Juneteenth with exhibitions and talks at the Buffalo Soldiers National Museum (19–21 June) and the Acres Homes Juneteenth Parade, taking place on 19 June.
In San Antonio, the Juneteenth festivities culminate in the Juneteenth Block Party (21 June), which includes DJ set and food trucks.
2. California
California holds Juneteenth celebrations across the state, including a Juneteenth Festival in LA at the California African American Museum, with wellness activities, storytellers and workshops. Berkeley holds its 38th annual Juneteenth celebration with live music, dance and theatre presentations on 15 June. San Jose will present a Juneteenth in the Streets celebration on 14 June with live music, food and educational workshops.
3. Washington, DC
Washington, DC offers an impressive variety of Juneteenth events. The Juneteenth Freedom Celebration at Anacostia Community Museum presents cultural performances, exhibits and food trucks on 21 June. The annual display of the Emancipation Proclamation, with its companion document, General Order No.3, which granted freedom to the last enslaved people of Galveston, will be exhibited from 19-22 June at the National Archives.
4. New York City
New York organises a plethora of Juneteenth celebrations including Brooklyn’s dazzling Juneteenth NY Celebration, including Black Restaurant Week (12-19 June), highlighting Black culinary excellence across the city. The Juneteenth Celebration at Battery Park features Black Cowboys, arts and crafts, music and book signings on 19 June. The Broadway League’s Black Broadway initiative hosts Broadway Celebrates Juneteenth , with a free outdoor concert focused on Black artistry on 19 June.
5. Chicago
Chicago’s significant African American history inspires a varied range of Juneteenth events. The DuSable Black History Museum hosts an annual Juneteenth Celebration with live performances, exhibits, food and more than 80 Black-owned businesses on 19 June.
The 1865 Fest brings music and food vendors to Garfield Park on 19 and 20 June, while urban historian Shermann Dilla Thomas also guides visitors through the historic Black community of North Lawndale on interactive bus tours of the neighbourhood’s cultural sights and landmarks.
