JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – For more than one-and-a-half centuries, the Juneteenth holiday has been sacred to many Black communities.
It marks the day in 1865 enslaved people in Galveston, Texas found out they had been freed — after the end of the Civil War, and two years after President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation.
Since it was designated a federal holiday in 2021, Juneteenth has become more universally recognized beyond Black America. Many people get the day off work or school, and there are a plethora of street festivals, fairs, concerts and other events.
There are several events taking place in Jackson, Mississippi, on Wednesday in order to recognize the holiday.
Events
Juneteenth Celebration: Free Day
- Thanks to support from Ingalls Shipbuilding, the Two Mississippi Museums–Museum of Mississippi History and Mississippi Civil Rights Museum–will offer free admission Wednesday, June 19, in honor of Juneteenth.
Juneteenth at the Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument
- The Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument will host special tours and activities in honor of Juneteenth.
- This evening program, celebrating Black empowerment and community, will feature a variety of activities in collaboration with Briarwood Arts Center. Activities include Juneteenth-themed crafts, card and yard games, and Juneteenth-themed tours.
Life Every Voice: A Juneteenth Celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
- Operatic tenor, John Christopher Adams, has created this meaningful concert to share personal stories from the Civil Rights Movement and commemorate Juneteenth 2024.
- GEP Network presents an epic night of hits on Juneteenth starring The Band Brick, Karyn White, P-Funk Connection, Andrey Seville, Queen Nandi. Presented by WJMI.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.