Juneteenth

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June 19th, also known as Juneteenth, is a day that recognizes the end of slavery in the United States. On June 19th, 1865, two years after President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation that ended slavery, Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas to inform slaveholders that they must legally those people who remained enslaved. This threat of force against the holdouts successfully ensured that the city’s remaining slaves, many of whom were already aware of slavery’s end but lacked the power to stand up to their slavers, were freed. Juneteenth has become an important day to many Black Americans and allies in the fight against racism.

Below you’ll find articles and exhibits about Juneteenth, which will automatically update as we add new stories about Juneteenth. As you scroll through these pages, you’ll understand the day’s history, efforts to increase awareness, the fight for it to be recognized as a holiday, and current events celebrating the day and its meaning.

City of Nashville to make Juneteenth a paid holiday

April 13, 2022

Juneteenth has only been a federal holiday since 2021, and its status doesn’t impact many workers. But Nashville leaders plan to make it a paid city holiday.

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7 Books to Help Teach Kids About Juneteenth

June 15, 2022

Families who want to teach kids about the end of slavery and Juneteenth, the newest federal holiday, can read one of these books together.

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What does it mean to celebrate Juneteenth?

June 19, 2022

Companies have wasted no time commercializing Juneteenth now that it is a federal holiday, but doing so overlooks the meaning behind the day.

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Here’s what really happened on Juneteenth

June 13, 2022

The story that Union troops brought news of slavery’s end to unknowing slavers and slaves in Galveston is challenged, shining a new light on Juneteenth.

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I Am Juneteenth! Milwaukee’s World-Renowned Juneteenth Day Celebration

February 24, 2023
I Am Juneteenth, Milwaukee's Juneteenth Celebration 2023

Since 1971, Juneteenth in Milwaukee has grown larger each year and the community doesn’t hold anything back. Milwaukee’s celebration is one of the largest and oldest in the country. Enjoy several blocks of fun with over 170,000 participants. Celebrate with food, speakers, live music, and, of course, one of the largest Juneteenth parades in the country. 

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ABHM Celebrates Juneteenth: A Week of Events Honoring Family & Community

June 10, 2023
ABHM Celebrates Juneteenth

This Juneteenth, ABHM invites you to join us throughout the week to celebrate freedom, family, art, culture, and community. All of the week’s events and admission to the museum will be free and open to the public thanks to a generous donation from Herb Kohl Philanthropies.

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ABHM Celebrates Juneteenth: A Week Of Events Honoring Family & Community

June 10, 2023

This Juneteenth, ABHM invites you to join us throughout the week to celebrate freedom, family, art, culture, and community. All of the week’s events and admission to the museum will be free and open to the public thanks to a generous donation from Herb Kohl Philanthropies.

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Juneteenth, the newest federal holiday, is gaining awareness

June 19, 2023

Since President Biden proclaimed it a holiday in 2021, Juneteenth has become increasingly more recognized. However, many Americans are still uneducated about its significance.

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Milwaukee’s World-Renowned Juneteenth Day Celebration

April 22, 2024
Milwaukee Juneteenth 2024

Since 1971, Juneteenth in Milwaukee has grown larger each year and the community doesn’t hold anything back. Milwaukee’s celebration is one of the largest and oldest in the country. Enjoy several blocks of fun with over 170,000 participants. Celebrate with food, speakers, live music, and, of course, one of the largest Juneteenth parades in the country. 

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ABHM Book Club: On Juneteenth by Annette Gordon-Reed

April 22, 2024
On Juneteenth book cover

We will be reading On Juneteenth by Annette Gordon-Reed and discussing it virtually on June 20th at 6 PM via Zoom. Annette Gordon-Reed’s ‘On Juneteenth’ brilliantly reimagines American history, intertwining personal narratives and historical facts to reveal the profound impact of Black Americans on the Lone Star State, culminating in the pivotal moment of June 19, 1865, and reminding us of the ongoing struggle for equality.

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