Juneteenth celebrations across the DMV this summer honor freedom, Black Culture and the “longest-running African-American holiday”
Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day, Jubilee Day or Juneteenth Independence Day, was established as a federal holiday in 2022 to commemorate the United States’ abolition of slavery. A combination of the words “June” and “nineteenth,” it was on this day in 1865 that the emancipation of enslaved African-Americans was formalized in Texas. This occasion is of extreme importance to our nation and on behalf of McEnearney’s Diversity Council we send an inspirational Juneteenth message and warm wishes to all. Let us put an end to discrimination and racism by standing together in solidarity.
Juneteenth has been celebrated as the nation’s “longest running African-American celebration” in various states and municipalities for generations. In Washington, DC, which has recognized it as an official holiday since 2004, there are myriad events that honor the indomitable spirit of freedom and joy of Black Culture. Here is a sampling of Juneteenth events throughout the DMV this weekend and throughout the summer, with links to more events available at each site:
From Juneteenth.com
ONE DC is organizing a Juneteenth Community Festival on Monday June 19 from 11am-5pm at the ONE DC Black Workers & Wellness Center at 2500 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave SE (adjacent lot – sponsored by Bethlehem Baptist Church) and will feature live music, local artists & vendors, community outreach tables, food, drinks and a presentation from historian Bill Fletcher Jr.
From Eventbrite
Starting on Sunday June 18 and continuing into the early Juneteenth morning, The DMV’s Largest Juneteenth Celebration: A Cultural Music Event will happen at the MGM Grand Casino at National Harbor and features several musical acts and DJs. Also from Eventbrite are many online celebrations that you don’t even have to leave home to enjoy!
From Washington.org
No summer celebration is complete without a sampling of some of the best eats in the city, and this round-up of 20+ eateries and bars helmed by Black chefs or Black-owned is sure to keep you sated.
From Virginia.org
The “BURG” Family Reunion Club hosts its Third Annual Juneteenth Celebration 2023 on June 17 from 12-6pm featuring food, drinks, music vendors and children’s activities at the Ida Lee Park in Leesburg while the Columbia Pike Blues Festival happens from 1-8:30pm and is touted as Arlington’s “Best Block Party.”
From VisitMaryland.org
Jazz on the Rails at the B&O Train Museum Outdoor Pavilion kicks off at 5pm on June 17 with live contemporary jazz, vendors and a celebration of front-line railroad workers. Closer to The District, Watkins Regional Park’s Juneteenth celebration on June 17 from 12-5pm includes entertainment, seminars and even a genealogy workshop.
Events on The National Mall and other local museums
- In addition to flagship events at the National Museum of African American History & Culture – like Afrofuturism: A History of Black Futures through March 2024 — there are Juneteenth exhibits throughout the Smithsonian system and at various local and private museums.
- From June 17-19 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 17-19. 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.
- The National Portrait Gallery showcases One Life: Frederick Douglas from June 16-April 21 (2024), illuminating the legacy of one of the 19th century’s most influential writers, speakers and intellectuals through prints, photographs and ephemera, and Brian Lanker’s I Dream a World: Portraits of Remarkable Black Women (Part II) through September 23. At the National Gallery of Art, visitors can enjoy classic and contemporary art from essential Black artists at the exhibit Called to Create: Black Artists of the American South through December 31.
- Mount Vernon’s Freedom Before Emancipation: Family Day for Juneteenth happens Saturday June 17 and remembers how enslaved people resisted enslavement and sought freedom before the Emancipation Proclamation. See special character performances, take a tour of the estate, and honor the lives of the enslaved at a commemoration ceremony.
- And proving that art isn’t the domain just for adults, The Phillips Collection hosts a community exhibition of local elementary, middle and high school students’ creations in Focal Point, inspired by the work of Frank Stewart’s Nexus: An American Photographer’s Journey, 1960’s to the Present.
Do you have traditions for Juneteenth? Let us know at our McEnearney Facebook and Instagram pages!
