June 19, or Juneteenth, marks the day in 1865 when Union soldiers landed in Galveston, Texas with news that the Civil War had ended and the enslaved were now free.
An estimated 250,000 enslaved people residing in Texas were informed of their freedom, two and a half years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation. Because there was a minimal number of Union troops in Texas to enforce Lincoln’s Executive Order, it wasn’t until the surrender of General Lee and the arrival of General Gordon Granger’s regiment that enslaved people were finally set free in Texas.
Many Texans embrace Juneteenth as a time to honor Black heritage with events across the state. This year, it’s also a time of reflection and remembrance of the work that still needs to be done for racial justice in our state.
Although we are a year out from the murder of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter protests that sweeped the state, our legislators have still done little to tackle police brutality, criminal justice, and systemic racism. We’re also emerging from a pandemic that has disproportionately impacted Black Texans, highlighting the crucial need to address disparities in our public health system.
We must continue to demand justice and accountability until the freedom that Juneteenth is meant to celebrate is no longer tainted by the continued oppression of Black folks by the systems that exist in our society.
To keep our communities safe, we recommend that you don’t attend any in-person events unless you are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. And as always, make sure you follow all CDC guidelines regarding social distancing and mask wearing.
Here are ways to celebrate Juneteenth across Texas:
Houston Area
June 9-19 - Corpus Christi Ten Days of Celebration and Exploration of Emancipation
June 11 - Four Galveston Women
June 13 - Juneteenth Historical Bike Tour
June 18 & 19 - Juneteenth Weekend Fun
June 18 & 19 - Juneteenth Weekend Celebration
June 19 - Dedication of Juneteenth Legacy Project’s “Absolute Equality”
June 19 - Juneteenth Black Art Exhibit
June 19 - BLCK Market Juneteenth Celebration
June 19 - Concert In The Park: Missouri City Juneteenth Celebration
June 19 - A Gulf Coast Juneteenth: Featuring Bobby Rush
June 19 - Galveston Parade and Picnic
June 19 - 42nd Annual Al Edwards Juneteenth Celebration
June 19 - Juneteenth Black Wall Street Fest Shopping, Brunch, & Music
June 19 - Cleveland Juneteenth Celebration
Austin Area
June 17 - "On Juneteenth" with Annette Gordon-Reed
June 19 - Juneteenth Rhythm and Ribs Festival 2021
June 19 - Noir Creators Space Juneteenth Open Market
June 19 - Juneteenth 2021: Stay Black and Live Vol. 2
June 19 - 2nd Annual Hutto Juneteenth Celebration
June 19 - Black History Bike Ride & Juneteenth BBQ
June 19 - Manor Juneteenth Celebration
June 19 - 27th Annual Juneteenth Charity Cook-Off
DFW Area
June 18-20 - Juneteenth Unity Weekend
June 18-20 - National Juneteenth Music Festival
June 18 & 19 - African American Museum of Dallas Juneteenth Festival
June 19 - 2021 MLK Juneteenth Celebration
June 19 - Best Southwest Juneteenth Celebration
June 19 - Drive-Thru Juneteenth Festival
June 19 - Juneteenth Parade and Celebration
June 19 - Juneteenth FTW Community Festival
June 19 - Juneteenth Unity Games
June 19 - Dallas Heritage Village Juneteenth Celebration
June 19 - Wylie's 2nd Annual Juneteenth Freedom Celebration
June 19 - Frank Frazier Juneteenth Art Exhibition
June 19 - Juneteenth Freedom Festival
June 19 - 5th Annual Arlington Juneteenth Celebration
Rio Grande Valley
June 18 - Juneteenth Perfecting Unity Celebration & Scholarship Fund
June 19 - Juneteenth Jubilee
El Paso
June 19 - Juneteenth Celebration
June 19 - Taste of Black El Paso - Juneteenth Music, Food, & Culture Fest
Lubbock
June 19 - RISE UP 2021 Juneteenth Celebration
San Antonio Area
June 17 - The Future is Freedom - Juneteenth Celebration
June 18-19 - Juneteenth San Antonio
June 19 - SA Juneteenth Block Party/Fair
June 19 - Juneteenth Market Pop-up Shop
June 19 - Crafting History: The Juneteenth Flag
June 19 - Juneteenth History Harvest
Editorial Note: Progress Texas is not an organizer of these events. If you have more Juneteenth events or celebrations you would like to add to the list, please send them my way: abby@progresstexas.org.
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