(KRON) — The Juneteenth holiday honors the emancipation of the last remaining enslaved Black Americans in the United States, including those last remaining slaves in Texas, who weren’t emancipated until June 19, 1865.
The U.S. government was slow to embrace the occasion — it was only in 2021 that President Joe Biden signed a bill passed by Congress to set aside Juneteenth, or June 19, as a federal holiday.
For generations, Black Americans have recognized the end of one of the darkest chapters in U.S. history with joy, in the form of parades, street festivals, musical performances or cookouts. Around the Bay Area, celebrations honoring Juneteenth are getting underway this month leading up to, and on the holiday itself.
Here is a listing of some of the top Juneteenth events.
Bay Area Juneteenth events:
Friday, June 14
- Mayor Breed’s Juneteenth Kickoff Celebration: SF City Hall, 12 p.m. – 2 p.m., City of SF
Saturday, June 15
- Juneteenth Decades Fashion Show: SF Fillmore District, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.
- Decades Edition – 80s – 90s – 2K: Fillmore and Geary to Fulton, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.
- 43rd Annual Juneteenth In the Streets Festival: Downtown San Jose, 12 p.m. – 7 p.m.
- Juneteenth Freedom Celebration: Fillmore District, SF, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m., Juneteenth SF Freedom Organization
Sunday, June 16
- Juneteenth Festival Bayview Father’s Day Festival: Gilman Park, Bayview, 12 p.m. – 6 p.m.
- Hellastalgia Juneteenth Event: 701 Clay Street, Oakland, 3 – 8 p.m.
Monday, June 17
- Juneteenth Kickoff Rally: City Hall, SF, 12 p.m. – 3 p.m., City of SF
Wednesday, June 19
- Hella Juneteenth The Cookout: Oakland Museum of CA, 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.
- Juneteenth in the Town, hosted by Loren Taylor: Downtown Oakland, 5:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Saturday, June 22
- Annual Hayward Freedom Celebration: Hayward Heritage Plaza, 12 – 6 p.m.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
