Juneteenth Celebrations Handpicked by McEnearney’s Diversity Council

A message from Kevin Bullock, Chair of the Diversity Council for McEnearney Associates | Middleburg Real Estate | Atoka Properties.

McEnearney’s Diversity Council joins the nation in celebrating Juneteenth! An important date in American history, Juneteenth commemorates the day African Americans in Texas learned that they were free from slavery. Although the Emancipation Proclamation was signed into law on January 1, 1863, all enslaved people were not immediately freed until June 19, 1865, when General Gordon Granger issued General Order No. 3 informing the people of Texas that all enslaved people were now free.

At McEnearney Associates, we continue to seek to end racial and ethnic disparities and make homes more affordable. I am proud of the engagement of McEnearney Associates and our agents in the endeavor to advance equity, diversity and inclusion. I invite you to continue educating yourself on the significance of Juneteenth and what the end of slavery means, not only to African Americans but to all people.

As we reflect on what Juneteenth means, we must remain cognizant of how this day signifies the missing history of many Black Americans and the impact it still carries today. This Juneteenth, let us pay homage to our ancestors who fought in the pursuit of our present-day freedoms, while recognizing that our fight for freedom is far from over. As a nation, we stand in acknowledgement of our journey accepting our past faults and working toward a brighter future.

From Juneteenth.com

ONE DC is organizing a Juneteenth Community Festival event on Wednesday June 19 from 11am – 5pm at the ONE DC Black Workers & Wellness Center featuring live music, local artists and vendors, community outreach tables, food and drinks.

From Washington.org

Curated in collaboration with descendants, Ancestral Spaces: People of African Descent at Tudor Place is a special installation and guided tour of the multi-faceted individuals and families of African descent who lived and worked at Tudor Place. From Tuesday June 4 – Sunday June 9 (10 am – 4pm) explore the historic house through their lives, learn how they impacted the world around them and discover their enduring legacy.

Long before emancipation, many people enslaved at Mount Vernon resisted enslavement and sought freedom. Freedom Before Emancipation: Family Day runs June 19- 22 from 10am – 3:30pm where learners of all ages can discover how Ona Judge, Christopher Sheels, and many other men and women enslaved at Mount Vernon defined their agency and the legacies they left behind.

From Eventbrite

You will find hundreds of local and regional Juneteenth events on Eventbrite to choose from. Here’s a sampling of the many opportunities to get involved for fun, education, and community!

Watch the world sail by on a Juneteenth Kayak and Wine Excursion at Patuxent Riverkeeper, a Black-owned, non-profit on the Patuxent River in Upper Marlboro, MD. Kick off your weekend on Saturday June 8 from 10am – 1pm while you enjoy the historic grounds before heading off for an hour-long kayaking trip and then enjoy wine and light refreshments at Robin Hill Farm & Vineyard.

Get ready to groove to the hottest tunes with Ladies Love Afrobeats and R&B Juneteenth Edition on the second floor Pure Lounge’s two story nightclub in Washington, DC. Join us Saturday June 15 at 9pm for a night of non-stop dancing and good vibes. This event is all about celebrating Juneteenth with the best of Afrobeats and R&B music brought to you by DJ 419 & A Town The Emotional DJ.

The Maryland Black Chamber of Commerce is hosting a Juneteenth Networking Celebration on Tuesday June 18 from 5:30 – 7:30pm in Rockville, MD with saxophonist Mike Girdy and the Bowie State Choir and catering by Soulfull Cafe.

The Juneteenth Comedy Jam at the DC Comedy Clubhouse in the U St Corridor is your destination for underground, urban, comedy vibes! Happening Tuesday June 18 from 7:30 – 9:30pm, it will be a night of hilarious stand-up comedy featuring rising comedy phenoms, local and nationally touring comedians.

Get ready to celebrate freedom and unity on a special 2-hour Juneteenth Jubilee Party Cruise event, setting sail on Wednesday June 19, 2024 from 7:15 – 9:45pm from the Georgetown Waterfront for an evening filled with music, food/drinks, and good vibes.

From Virginia.org and other Virginia sites

The “BURG” Family Reunion Club hosts its Fourth Annual Juneteenth Celebration 2024 on Saturday June 15 from 12am – 7pm featuring food & dessert trucks, music vendors, crafts and children’s activities at the Ida Lee Park in Leesburg.

WalkArlington, in partnership with the Black Heritage Museum of Arlington and Columbia Pike Partnership, presents a 2-hour guided Juneteenth Black Heritage Walk on Sunday June 16 from 1 – 3pm. Discover Black heritage in Arlington on a walk to honor led by Craig Syphax, a board member and former president of the Black Heritage Museum of Arlington.

Fairfax County is hosting their Juneteenth celebrations with storytelling, family activities, food and tours at the Sully Historic Site in Chantilly on Wednesday June 19 from 10am – 4pm.

Discover history through hands-on activities, art, history, and poetry readings at the Juneteenth Celebration at Carlyle House, a historic house museum, in collaboration with The Athenaeum, a regional arts organization, both in Old Town Alexandria. Events run Wednesday June 19 from 6 – 8pm.

Events on The National Mall and other popular museums

The National Museum of African American History & Culture has organized the Juneteenth Community Day themed “Freedom, Movement, and Migration” on Saturday June 15 from 11:00 am – 4:30 pm. This special day is designed to engage people of all ages in a meaningful celebration of freedom and cultural evolution, commemorating Juneteenth’s significance in the journey toward equality and recognition in American history.
The Smithsonian’s Anacostia Community Museum is bringing back its iconic Juneteenth festival with a daylong celebration on Wednesday June 19 from 10 am – 5 pm. Visitors will experience a full day of live music performances, an Urban Gardening Workshop with Derek Thomas and more.
The National Archives will display the original Emancipation Proclamation and its companion document, General Order No. 3, which granted freedom to the last enslaved people in Galveston, TX on June 18-20 from 10am – 7pm. Because of their fragility the documents can only see 36 hours of sunlight per year so this is a rare chance to glimpse the originals.

At the National Gallery of Art visitors can enjoy classic and contemporary art from essential Black artists and take a customized tour of 10 notable artists in the collection, and then enjoy a Juneteenth Jazz Concert with the Muneer Nasser Quintet in the Sculpture Garden on Friday June 21 from 6 – 8:30 pm.
Through November, visitors to the National Portrait Gallery can experience “Lessons of the Hour – Frederick Douglas” by Isaac Julien. It’s a fascinating moving image installation, which blends period reenactments across live screens to give the viewer insight into the life, accomplishments, activism and brilliance of Frederick Douglass, one of the world’s greatest abolitionists.