Nearly two centuries ago, on June 19, 1865, federal troops arrived in the city of Galveston with news that Texas slaves were two-and-a-half years late in learning: They were free. Though Texas was the last U.S. state to enforce Abraham Lincoln’s 1863 declaration of emancipation – Texas was far from Northern lines, and Union troops were few – it was the first, in 1980, to observe June 19 as a holiday. Today, Juneteenth, considered the longest-running African American holiday, honors the official end of slavery in the United States and celebrates liberty and justice.
Now, all 50 states recognize Juneteenth as a federal holiday; in 2021, a bill was unanimously approved in the Senate with bipartisan support.
Join us today at the Boston Children’s Museum starting at 9am. Celebrate Juneteenth with a day of live music, movement, and interactive, hands-on creative experiences, uplifting the work of community organizations, local artists, and creatives. The Museum showcases Black artistic traditions and creative practices born out of resistance, which continue to inspire modern day movements against injustice. This event will include a screening of “A Qyah Juneteenth”from GBH Kids’ Molly of Denali.
