Juneteenth is FRIDAY. Here's how to mark it right.
June 19th is here.
And if you're like me, you want to mark it right, not just with a day off, but with some understanding of what this day actually is and what it means for our city.
So let's start there.
The History
On June 19, 1865, Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas, with news that the Civil War had ended and enslaved people were free. What makes that date significant, and painful, is this: President Lincoln had signed the Emancipation Proclamation two and a half years earlier, on January 1, 1863.
Two and a half years.
The National Museum of African American History and Culture puts it plainly: "not everyone in Confederate territory would immediately be free. Even though the Emancipation Proclamation was made effective in 1863, it could not be implemented in places still under Confederate control."
So for Black Texans, freedom didn't come on paper. It came when soldiers showed up and said it out loud.
That's Juneteenth. That's why it's called the nation's second independence day. And that's why it matters, not just in Texas, not just in history books, but here. In Memphis. Right now.
This city carries that history in its bones. The people who built Memphis, who shaped its music, its food, its soul- they came up through that story.
Emancipation Day celebration, June 19, 1900 held in "East Woods" on East 24th Street in Austin. Credit: Austin History Center.
How to Celebrate in Memphis This Friday
If you're looking for a place to spend June 19th with intention, I've got a few places I'd point you toward.
National Civil Rights Museum - Free Admission Until 2 PM
This one is a full day. The Museum is open 9 AM to 6 PM, with free admission until 2 PM, and they've packed the day with live music, cultural performances, family programming, and community resources. This year they're also shining a light on health equity, the connection between civil rights and access to healthy, thriving communities. Health equity partners Vitalant and Baptist Memorial will be on-site.
And if you haven't seen the new Legacy Experience exhibits yet, today's the day. The expanded exhibitions walk through civil rights history from Dr. King's assassination in 1968 all the way to the present, examining the movement's evolution, the strategies, and the grassroots organizing that kept going long after 1968. It's extremely powerful.
Douglass Park - 33rd Annual Juneteenth Douglass Freedom & Heritage Festival
Three days, June 18–20, at historic Douglass Park. Today is Festival Day, the final day of the celebration- live performances including the UTURN Band and a full lineup. This festival has been going for 33 years. That's community showing up, year after year, to honor something worth honoring.
The Four Way Restaurant - FREE Community Festival
The Four Way is bringing it to South Memphis today- free, all day, with live performances, wellness activations, a farmers market, food, and giveaways. Bring lawn chairs. Bring your people.
Elmwood Cemetery - Juneteenth Guided Walking Tour (June 20)
If history is your thing, Elmwood is offering a Juneteenth walking tour led by Executive Director Kim Bearden on June 20. You'll hear the stories of Black doctors, musicians, business leaders, and the South's first Black millionaire, all buried in plain sight in our city's most historic cemetery. This one is worth your Saturday morning.
Memphis Was Built by People Who Refused to Quit
City Leadership exists to recruit, develop, and retain leaders in Memphis. The work we do with Choose901, Teach901, Choose901 Alumni, Serve901, and Give901 is grounded in one belief: Memphis is worth building.
But you can't build something you don't know. You can't lead a city you don't understand. And you can't love Memphis fully without knowing the full story of the people who made it.
The NMAAHC writes that "the historical legacy of Juneteenth shows the value of never giving up hope in uncertain times." That's not just a sentiment about 1865. That's a word for today.
Memphis has never given up. And the leaders we're developing, the teachers, the young professionals, the community builders, they're the continuation of a very long story that includes today.
Mark this day. Teach it to your kids. Get out to one of these events. And if you meet someone who doesn't know what Juneteenth is, tell them.
That's part of the work too.
P.S. Father's Day is Sunday, and there's still time to grab something from the Choose901 online shop. Good gear, ships fast, and every purchase supports the work we do in Memphis. Shop now.
