Juneteenth

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An NAACP flyer campaigning for the Dyer Anti-Lynching Bill, which passed the U.S. House of Representatives in 1922, but was filibustered to defeat in the Senate. Dyer, the NAACP, and freedom fighters around the country, like Flossie Baily, struggled for years to get the Dyer and other anti-lynching bills passed, to no avail. Today there is still no U.S. law specifically against lynching. In 2005, eighty of the 100 U.S. Senators voted for a resolution to apologize to victims' families and the country for their failure to outlaw lynching. Courtesy of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).
Some Exhibits to Come – One Hundred Years of Jim Crow
Mammy Statue JC Museum Ferris
Bibliography – One Hundred Years Of Jim Crow
Claude, age 23, just months before his 1930 murder. Courtesy of Faith Deeter.
Freedom’s Heroes During Jim Crow: Flossie Bailey and the Deeters
Souvenir Portrait of the Lynching of Abram Smith and Thomas Shipp, August 7, 1930, by studio photographer Lawrence Beitler. Courtesy of the Indiana Hisorical Society.
An Iconic Lynching in the North
Lynching Quilt
Claxton Dekle – Prosperous Farmer, Husband & Father of Two
Joshua Glover Plaque
Some Exhibits to Come – Three Centuries Of Enslavement
Harriet Tubman, "The Conductor," with fugitive slaves in Underground Railroad station
Bibliography – Three Centuries of Enslavement
Ancient manuscripts about mathematics and astronomy from Timbuktu, Mali
Some Exhibits to Come – African Peoples Before Captivity
Shackles for Adults & Children from the Henrietta Marie
Some Exhibits to Come – The Middle Passage
Slaveship Stowage Plan
What I Saw Aboard a Slave Ship in 1829
Arno Michaels
Life After Hate: A Former White Power Leader Redeems Himself

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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.

JUNETEENTH 70’S & 80’S FUNK PARTY!

June 14, 2024

Victor Reid & V.I.P. Live present a Juneteenth celebration of 70’s & 80’s Funk!

Juneteenth Village Fest

June 14, 2024

Juneteenth Village Fest headliners: Common, Dead Prez, and Domani, plus an amazing line-up of local talent, carnival rides, games, local talent, and food and music to provide a space for the ITAV Family of Schools, partner organizations, and the broader community to commemorate the liberation of African descendants from the institution of slavery.  MINORS, 17 AND UNDER, MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY AN ADULT.

Soul of the Southside

June 14, 2024

Join us for a celebration of Liberation at Soul of the Southside, a FREE event for all ages happening from 12-8pm on June 19th-Juneteenth! The celebration takes place at Lake St. and Minnehaha Ave. in south Minneapolis. We create space at Arbeiter Brewing, Moon Palace Books, The Hook and Ladder Theater and the newly renovated Coliseum Building! Discover the vibrant spirit of Juneteenth – a holiday rooted in the African-American observance of liberation. Dating back to June 19, 1865, when our enslaved ancestors in Galveston, Texas, received the news of the Emancipation Proclamation, Juneteenth represents a powerful act of freedom and resilience. STORYTELLING LIVE MUSIC LOCAL DJS ART EXHIBITS YOGA & MEDITATION FOOD TRUCKS HISTORY ZONE BLACK-OWNED MARKETPLACE FAMILY ACTIVITIES LIVE PODCASTS HIGH CULTURE LOUNGE FACE PAINTING SOUND BATHS SPOKEN WORD PERFORMANCES INTERACTIVE ART INSTALLATIONS HISTORICAL FOOD WAVES

The Original Juneteenth of Minneapolis

June 14, 2024

Special Guest Panel Discussion: The Black Family Music Entertainment hosted by Da Black Pearl Special Guest Headliner, Dwele Food Trucks Life Juices Ms Bevs Barbeque Big L Soul Food House of Refuge Church B & B BBQ Other Activities Bingo hosted by Ready and Relevant Bouncy Houses Trackless Train ride Pop Up Parks

University of Minnesota Juneteenth Celebration

June 14, 2024

Juneteenth is a celebration of abolition, Black freedom, Black joy, Black history, and Black futures. This year’s event will be centered around disruption, reverberation, and amplification with our 2024 theme: We are the Noise- The Echoes of our Ancestors! This interactive block party includes a commemorative march, live performances, free food, Black vendors, giveaways, art-making, workshops, roller skating, and an interactive kids zone. The University of Minnesota will host its third annual Juneteenth Celebration block party and commemorative march in North Minneapolis on Saturday, June 15, 2024, from 11 am to 5 pm. This free event – centering on the theme of We Are the Noise: The Echoes of Our Ancestors – will feature Black vendors, speakers, workshops, fashion show, storytellers, drumline, dancers, musicians, performers, DJs, live screen printing, roller skating, books, free food, free haircuts, art-making, a bouncy house, petting zoo, and more. The event will be held at the University’s Robert J. Jones Urban Research and Outreach-Engagement Center (UROC). This event, led by Professor Terresa Moses, is presented by the Office for Equity and Diversity and the College of Design.

Juneteenth Minnesota West Broadway Block Party

June 14, 2024

West Broadway Ave from Lyndale to Emerson Avenues North Featuring a parade, live music, a mini carnival, food trucks, a business forum, and more.

On Juneteenth, Freedom Came With Strings Attached

June 18, 2024

While Juneteenth is often celebrated as the end of slavery in the U.S., it’s important to recognize that formerly enslaved peoples were still bound by societal chains that are discussed here.

The Civic Promise of Juneteenth

June 19, 2024

In contrast to MLK Jr. Day, a more racially contentious dynamic has unfolded around Juneteenth, which has opened the door to a more focused telling of Black history.

The Center for Black Excellence and Culture to hold groundbreaking on Juneteenth

June 19, 2024

Wednesday was a momentous day in Madison due to the groundbreaking of a future community center that will host events and display art.