Learn about the history of the Juneteenth holiday
Juneteenth is held on June 19th to celebrate the end of slavery in the United States. It is also known as Emancipation Day or Juneteenth Independence Day.
The Emancipation Proclamation went into effect on January 1, 1863, but many African American people living in geographically secluded communities still did not know they were free. This was especially true in Texas where the presence of Union troops was not significant enough to fully enforce the Emancipation Proclamation. Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when Union General Gordon Granger and his troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, and announced the emancipation of all enslaved African American people.
Visit the Huntsville Revisited Museum located inside the H.C. Blake Art & History Center. Curator William Hampton has an incredible amount of knowledge, stories, and memorabilia to share. Learn about everything from Huntsville's Black Business District to the Rocket City connection to Black Wall Street in Tulsa.
Juneteenth Celebrations & Events
Black Restaurant Week | Now through June 19, 2024
Black Restaurant Week Huntsville is excited and looking forward to continuing its week of events and support of every restaurant, chef, vendor, and owner of anything connected to feeding the Rocket City for the ninth year. This year’s 13-day celebration will be more exciting, informative, and inclusive. The year’s highlighted event will be the R&B SOUL & BLUES PICNIC. It will be a food and music picnic with local black-owned restaurants, food trucks, and vendors; along with several musical local and highly profiled artists in performance.
Learn more about Black Restaurant Week events here.
4th Annual Juneteenth Celebration at The Camp - June 21-22 | All Day
The Camp is thrilled to announce the 4th Annual Juneteenth Celebration at The Camp, a cornerstone event in the community's celebration of freedom and culture. Last year's event was a resounding success, with attendance exceeding 2,000. This year's events will be a two-day event, starting Friday afternoon with a panel discussion and talent showcase, and the all-day festival on Saturday.
Juneteenth Celebration at the Orion Amphitheater - June 22 | 12 pm - 6 pm
Join us Saturday, June 22 from 12 PM – 6 PM to celebrate Juneteenth by supporting local Black-owned businesses, farmers, food trucks, and creators while enjoying live performances in the Apollo South Dome at the top of every hour!
Learn more about the event here.
Shop Black Fest 2024 at Butler Green Park - June 15 | 2-7 pm
Shop Black Fest is a festival for Black-owned small businesses to connect with their next customers, gain more visibility, and prepare for growth with vendor events, empowering workshops, trainings, and networking opportunities.
