During a Juneteenth celebration, the archives said the historical document would join the others in the archive’s rotunda, according to a National Archives release. The Emancipation Proclamation and General Order No. 3 were temporarily displayed from June 17 to June 19.

“Although the full privileges of freedom were not immediately bestowed upon all Americans with Lincoln’s order, I am proud that the National Archives will enshrine this seminal document for public display adjacent to our nation’s founding documents,” Archivist of the United States Dr. Colleen Shogan said. “Together, they tell a more comprehensive story of the history of all Americans and document progress in our nation’s continuous growth toward a more perfect Union.”

Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when U.S. Maj. Gen. Gordon Grange issued General Order No.3 informing the enslaved people of Texas of their freedom. This news was delivered over two years after January 1, 1863, when President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Declaration said all enslaved people “are, and henceforward shall be free.”

President Joe Biden signed a bill passed by Congress to make Juneteenth a federal holiday in 2021.

Before it goes on permanent display, the archives will plan how to present and maintain the document for visitors year-round, according to the release.

The Emancipation Proclamation is a double-sided five-page document. The archives’ plan is to display the pages of the document on a rotating basis to limit light exposure, the release said.

The last day to see the temporary display is June 19.

Juneteenth Jun 16

The story behind Juneteenth and how it became a federal holiday

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It marks the day in 1865 enslaved people in Galveston, Texas found out they had been freed — after the end of the Civil war, and two years after President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation.

Since it was designated a federal holiday in 2021, Juneteenth has become more universally recognized beyond Black America. Many people get the day off work or school, and there are a plethora of street festivals, fairs, concerts and other events.

People who never gave the holiday on June 19 more than a passing thought may be asking themselves, is there a “right” way to celebrate Juneteenth?

For beginners and those brushing up history, here are some answers:

IS JUNETEENTH A SOLEMN DAY OF REMEMBRANCE OR MORE OF A PARTY?

It just depends on what you want. Juneteenth festivities are rooted in cookouts and barbecues. In the beginnings of the holiday celebrated as Black Americans’ true Independence Day, the outdoors allowed for large, raucous reunions among formerly enslaved family, many of whom had been separated. The gatherings were especially revolutionary because they were free of restrictive measures, known as “Black Codes,” enforced in Confederate states, controlling whether liberated slaves could vote, buy property, gather for worship and other aspects of daily life.

Alan Freeman, 60, grew up celebrating Juneteenth every year in Houston, 50 miles (80 kilometers) north of Galveston. A comedian who is producing Galveston’s first ever Juneteenth Comedy Festival on Saturday, he has vivid memories of smoke permeating his entire neighborhood because so many people were using their barbecue pits for celebratory cookouts. You could go to anyone’s house and be welcomed to join in the feast, which could include grilled chicken and beef and other regional cuisines — jerk meats, fried fish, Jamaican plantains.

“It’s where I began to really see Black unity because I realized that that was the one day that African Americans considered ours,” Freeman said. “The one holiday that was ours. We didn’t have to share with anybody. And it was about freedom because what we understood is that we were emancipated from slavery. But, there was so many beautiful activities.”

Others may choose to treat Juneteenth as a day of rest and remembrance. That can mean doing community service, attending an education panel or taking time off.

The important thing is to make people feel they have options on how to observe the occasion, said Dr. David Anderson, a Black pastor and CEO of Gracism Global, a consulting firm helping leaders navigate conversations bridging divides across race and culture.

“Just like the Martin Luther King holiday, we say it’s a day of service and a lot of people will do things. There are a lot of other people who are just ‘I appreciate Dr. King, I’ll watch what’s on the television, and I’m gonna rest,’” Anderson said. “I don’t want to make people feel guilty about that. What I want to do is give everyday people a choice.”

WHAT IF YOU’VE NEVER CELEBRATED JUNETEENTH?

Anderson, 57, of Columbia, Maryland, never did anything on Juneteenth in his youth. He didn’t learn about it until his 30s.

“I think many folks haven’t known about it — who are even my color as an African American male. Even if you heard about it and knew about it, you didn’t celebrate it,” Anderson said. “It was like just a part of history. It wasn’t a celebration of history.”

For many African Americans, the farther away from Texas that they grew up increased the likelihood they didn’t have big Juneteenth celebrations regularly. In the South, the day can vary based on when word of Emancipation reached each state.

Anderson has no special event planned other than giving his employees Friday and Monday off. If anything, Anderson is thinking about the fact it’s Father’s Day this weekend.

“If I can unite Father’s Day and Juneteenth to be with my family and honor them, that would be wonderful,” he said.

WHAT KIND OF PUBLIC JUNETEENTH EVENTS ARE GOING ON AROUND THE COUNTRY?

Search online and you will find a smorgasbord of gatherings in major cities and suburbs all varying in scope and tone. Some are more carnival-esque festivals with food trucks, arts and crafts and parades. Within those festivals, you’ll likely find access to professionals in health care, finance and community resources. There also are concerts and fashion shows to highlight Black excellence and creativity. For those who want to look back, plenty of organizations and universities host panels to remind people of Juneteenth’s history.

ARE THERE SPECIAL FOODS SERVED ON JUNETEENTH?

Aside from barbecue, the color red has been a through line for Juneteenth food for generations. Red symbolizes the bloodshed and sacrifice of enslaved ancestors. A Juneteenth menu might incorporate items like barbecued ribs or other red meat, watermelon and red velvet cake. Drinks like fruit punch and red Kool-Aid may make an appearance at the table.

DOES HOW YOU CELEBRATE JUNETEENTH MATTER IF YOU AREN’T BLACK?

Dr. Karida Brown, a sociology professor at Emory University whose research focuses on race, said there’s no reason to feel awkward about wanting to recognize Juneteenth because you have no personal ties or you’re not Black. In fact, embrace it.

“I would reframe that and challenge my non-Black folks who want to lean into Juneteenth and celebrate,” Brown said. “It absolutely is your history. It absolutely is a part of your experience. … Isn’t this all of our history? The good, the bad, the ugly, the story of emancipation and freedom for for your Black brothers and sisters under the Constitution of the law.”

If you want to bring some authenticity to your recognition of Juneteenth, educate yourself. Attending a street festival or patronizing a Black-owned business is a good start but it also would be good to “make your mind better,” Anderson said.

“That goes longer than a celebration,” Anderson said. “I think Black people need to do it too because it’s new for us as well, in America. But for non-Black people, if they could read on this topic and read on Black history beyond Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks, that would show me that you’re really serious about growing in this area.”

If you’re struggling with how to “ethically” mark the day, Brown also suggested expanding your knowledge of why the holiday matters so much. That can be through reading, attending an event or going to an African American history museum if there’s one nearby.

“Have that full human experience of seeing yourself in and through the eyes of others, even if that’s not your own lived experience,” she said. “That is a radical human act that is awesome and should be encouraged and celebrated.”

WHAT ARE OTHER NAMES USED TO REFER TO JUNETEENTH?

Over the decades, Juneteenth has also been called Freedom Day, Emancipation Day, Black Fourth of July and second Independence Day among others.

“Because 1776, Fourth of July, where we’re celebrating freedom and liberty and all of that, that did not include my descendants,” Brown said. “Black people in America were still enslaved. So that that holiday always comes with a bittersweet tinge to it.”

IS THERE A PROPER JUNETEENTH GREETING?

It’s typical to wish people a “Happy Juneteenth” or “Happy Teenth,” said Freeman, the comedian.

“You know how at Christmas people will say ‘Merry Christmas’ to each other and not even know each other? You can get a ‘Merry Christmas’ from everybody. This is the same way,” Freeman said.

No matter what race you are, you will “absolutely” elicit a smile if you utter either greeting, he said.

“I believe that a non-Black person who celebrates Juneteenth … it’s their one time to have a voice, to participate.”

Sidney Cooper was known as a pillar of San Diego’s black community. He was often referred to as “the Mayor of Imperial Avenue,” where he owned a popular barber shop.

Mrs. Cooper died in March of 2023 at the age of 92. Her remains were to be placed in the same plot where her husband was buried 22 years ago.

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SAN DIEGO Jun 16

Remains of Juneteenth trailblazer missing from burial plot; family suing San Diego cemetery

The two would be reunited in death — or so they thought.

One day before Mrs. Cooper’s funeral, one of her three daughters, Lana Cooper-Jones, got a phone call from Greenwood Memorial Park.

“They told me they opened the gravesite and told me my father was not there. I was absolutely devastated,” she told NBC 7, adding, “They asked me, did I want to hold my mother’s body until they located my father.”

The family was outraged, but willing to work with the cemetery operators to resolve the situation and get her father’s body returned to his rightful spot.

“They told us in the beginning that they knew where he was but he was in another family’s plot and they would need to talk to the family before they could dig him up,” said another sister, Shelley Cooper-Ashford. 

She told NBC 7 she’s worried her father’s body will never be found.

Family members like cousin Amani Miller told NBC 7 they got the runaround. 

“He’s here, he’s there, we don’t know where he’s at. We found him. Good Lord, how do we know now?” Miller said.

A month after their mother’s burial, the Cooper’s adult children got another shock.

“My mother’s grave was not closed,” said Cooper-Jones. There were sheets of plywood covering the hole with her mother’s casket inside. 

“It was raining. I was heartbroken.  I cried at the gravesite, heartbroken,” Cooper-Jones said.

Cooper-Jones said she checked her mother’s records, and the paperwork surrounding the burial site looked different from the documents the cemetery operators had shown her.

That was when the Cooper children decided to hire an attorney.  A civil lawsuit was filed in San Diego County Superior Court on Friday. It claims, among other things, that Greenwood Memorial Park was negligent, and that it intentionally inflicted emotional distress on the Cooper family.

Attorney Eric Dubin filed the case. He told NBC 7 bodies will need to be exhumed and DNA testing done to reassure the family that any remains found are those of Sidney Cooper.

A spokesperson for Greenwood Memorial Park told NBC 7 that the company has not yet been served with the lawsuit.  The spokesperson offered this brief statement: “Greenwood Memorial Park and Mortuary has proudly and dutifully served families and the San Diego Community with care for over 300 years.  While the placement of this family’s loved one occurred over 20 years ago under previous ownership and management, we recently discovered an issue with placement and are diligently working to confirm the placement of the loved one.  Our hope is to reunite the loved ones as intended as soon as possible.”

“That’s bull,” said Cooper-Ashford. “They have not diligently worked with us at all.“

“This has been the hardest three months of our lives,” said Cooper-Jones. “You can’t believe this is real.”

The terrible discovery came after the recent death of their mother, Thelma Cooper. She was set to be buried in the same plot at Greenwood Memorial Park and Mortuary as her husband Sidney Cooper Sr. As the cemetery crew prepared for the plot for Thelma Cooper, they discovered Cooper Sr. wasn’t there.

Cooper Sr. was one of the first Black entrepreneurs in San Diego that owned businesses along Imperial Avenue in Southeast San Diego. He became a well-known and respected community leader, along with his family. Cooper Sr. opened a barbershop and also ran a fruit stand in the back lot along with his wife, who was also a beautician.

“He would give credit. So he would give everybody credit and on the first when you got paid, you would come and pay him,” said his son, Sydney Cooper Jr.

One of his greatest passions was educating people about the Juneteenth holiday: the celebration of the emancipation of enslaved people in the U.S.

Cooper Jr. continues his father’s purpose and educates others about Juneteenth. He hosts celebrations and even started a foundation that provides health services to the community. This Juneteenth celebration in San Diego, however, is somewhat marred by the unimaginable pain the family feels not knowing where their father’s remains are.

“My father is from Redbird, Oklahoma. In the south, Juneteenth was big, really big and then coming from the south, he brought that tradition to San Diego,” said Cooper Jr.

During what is usually a special time to honor their dad, Cooper Sr.’s family is instead devasted. Not only are they mourning the death of their mother, they’re also freshly mourning their father’s death.

“You find out your father is not supposed to be where you thought he was for the last 20 years. Where you sat, put flowers at, prayed at. Thinking your father was there. The headstone’s there but his body is not there,” explained Cooper Jr.

Greenwood Memorial Park and Mortuary staff somehow misplaced Cooper Sr.’s body two decades ago. The mortuary spokesperson said they, along with the family, just discovered this issue and that they are working diligently to find Mr.Cooper’s casket and fix this terrible situation as soon as possible.

“I think they, initially when he was buried, they buried him in the wrong spot,” said Cooper Jr.

To add insult to injury, Cooper Jr. said their mother was haphazardly buried in the family lot. He told NBC 7 her casket is covered by a thin layer of dirt and a wooden plank.

“It’s totally uncalled for. It’s like, what? Really? So then you’re getting mixed messages about where your father might be and how to identify him” Cooper Jr. said.

The family hired an attorney to interface with the mortuary staff after Cooper Jr. said there were different explanations about his father’s whereabouts.

“You’re the caretaker and the keeper of those people that are laid to rest there, who came before you. And I think the onus is on you to correct that,” said Cooper Jr.

In the meantime, they will be focusing on their father’s legacy.

“It was always a saying of my father that Juneteenth should be celebrated in America like July 4th is celebrated. It’s our Independence Day, but everybody had a hand in that independence, am I right? Somehow as a community and as a society we came back together to make this happen,” Cooper Jr. said.

The mortuary spokesperson, Catherine Lane, provided the following information in response to NBC 7’s specific questions.

“Because the loved one was interred over 22 years ago, prior to our acquisition of the property, we are being extremely careful as we piece together the details and continue to work to help get this right for the family. We understand their concerns. Again, all of this happened long before we acquired the property in 2014. As to the details of the recent burial, the grave was properly secured; however, it takes time for the sod to grow and take hold. We will continue to investigate and share any relevant information with the family. Our commitment to serve and do what is right for our families is paramount. Our hearts go out to the family as we work through this.”

The Cooper family will be hosting their annual Juneteenth event at Memorial Park Saturday morning.

“I’m not going to sit in a rocker and wait for the Lord to call me. He’s going to have to catch me,” Lee said Friday.

The annual walk led by Lee is 2.5 miles long, representing the 2.5 years it took for news of the Emancipation Proclamation to reach enslaved people in Texas. Lee, 96, spent decades advocating for Juneteenth to become a federal holiday.

In 2021, Lee’s yearslong mission was complete.

“My grandparents, my mother…if they had something that was important, something they believed in…nothing stopped them. Come hell or high water. So, maybe I got a little bit of that DNA,” she said Friday. “I’m asking young people, make yourselves a committee of one to change somebody’s mind.”

Fort Worth Jun 16

Opal Lee, ‘Grandmother of Juneteenth,' marches in Texas at 96

Over the years, the walk through East Fort Worth has grown larger, both in size and overall meaning.

“This has been a long time coming,” Tawndala Tindele said as she stood on her front porch waiting for the walk to go by her house. “This is the day that we are free and I want people to acknowledge it and start celebrating that we have this day.”

Tindele was excited to see Lee.

“I think I’ve been talking to lots of people, and I hope they’ve heard what I said. That we have to work together to get rid of the disparities in our country, and we do have disparities. The joblessness. Homelessness. The health plans of health care some people can get and others can’t. Climate change,” Lee said. “It’s about freedom. Freedom for everybody. We don’t want people to think that Juneteenth is a Texas thing or a Black thing. It’s freedom.”

“The heat does not compare to what we had to go through to get here,” Rickey Lowe said. “If Opal can be out here, we all should be out here to support her.”

Lisa Baker grew up in Lee’s neighborhood and spent her life going to the same church, Baker Chapel AME. She said Lee and her grandparents instilled her with important values.

“What is right for all people, not just what is right for Black people or Hispanics, but what is right for all people,” Baker said. “We all came to the same land to be treated justly and that has been the message and will continue to be the message.”

That message will be carried on for generations.

On Friday, Lee was the guest of honor at an event rededicating Fort Worth’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Heritage Trail marker. She was joined by longtime supporters of her movement, including Tarrant County Precinct 1 Commissioner Roy Brooks.

“Freedom must be nurtured, guarded, and protected,” Brooks said, referring to the importance of Juneteenth.

Lee said she will continue to lead the walk in Fort Worth on June 19 every year for as long as she can.

“I want them to know the history – good, bad, and indifferent – and be sure it doesn’t happen again,” she said. “I want the people to realize that working together, different nationalities, different ethnic groups, that we can achieve so much. And quickly.”

“We do it by instilling it with our daughter and other friends,” Joyt Gray said. “That carries it on, OK? And that keeps the movement going.”

Juneteenth Jun 16

The story behind Juneteenth and how it became a federal holiday

Struggling to find something to do this weekend, or still feel like you haven’t truly explored the the city? We’ve got a list of activities to check out in and around New York City this Juneteenth weekend:

MANHATTAN

• Shakespeare in the Park: This year, from June 8 to August 6, Shakespeare in the Park will be staging one big play in Central Park: Hamlet. Free tickets are distributed on the day of the show, both in person and via digital lottery. 
• Adventures NYC: If you’re craving some adventure, head over to the Bandshell on Saturday, June 17 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. for a free day of outdoor activities. Explore rock climbing, stand-up paddle boarding, archery, and roller skating regardless of your age and skill level.
• Japan FES: A culinary experience that transports you to Japan! Snack on foods from across Japan and come try brand new unique menus like Non-alcoholic Asahi beer, Japanese ganache, Japanese fish sausages, Cherry blossom cotton candy, and so on! Don’t forget to shop for Japanese crafts and gifts featured at the event. This weekend, you can find it in the East Village on June 17. 

BROOKLYN

• Juneteenth NY Festival: Thousands of attendees come to Brooklyn for the 14th Annual Juneteenth NY Festival: a vibrant day celebrating culture through music, dance, poetry, skits, history, vendors, and families. This year’s theme is “Kaleidoscope of Black Culture.” You can find more things to do commemorating Juneteenth here.
• Drunk Black History: Comedians Brandon Collins and Gordon Baker-Bone lead a booze-fueled lesson in Black history. The Juneteenth edition of Black History Month features guests including Keith Robinson (Judd Apatow’s “Trainwreck”), Tracy McClendon (MTV) and Dave Temple (Comedy Cellar). This is happening on Sunday, June 18 at The Bell House in Brooklyn.
• Coney Island Mermaid Parade: Returning for its 41st year, King Neptune and Queen Mermaid lead a procession of glittered semi-nude marchers in costumes along Surf Avenue. The Parade is kicking off at 1 p.m. on Saturday, June 17.
• Japan FES: It’s coming to Brooklyn too! Snack on treats from 750 vendors and shop for Japanese crafts and gifts featured at the event. This weekend, you can find it in Park Slope on June 18. 

QUEENS

• Queerchella: The monthly music festival showcasing queer talent in NYC is hosting its first full-day outdoor summer festival during Pride Month. Alongside more than 20 musical acts of various genres on two stages, you can also enjoy a variety of vendors, a spiritual healing tent and a silent disco after party. You can find this free event at Culture Lab LIC in Long Island City on Saturday, June 17.
• Queen’s Night Market: For seven years, Queens Night Market has prided itself on offering the city’s best foods for under $6. Experience the food festival Saturday nights through the summer at the New York Hall of Science in Flushing Meadows Corona Park. Don’t forget to check out the vintage apparel, hand-poured candles, and NYC-themed apparel. 
• Noguchi Museum: Celebrate New York City’s Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) creative communities at The Noguchi Museum in Long Island City! It’s free during these upcoming Community Days on Saturday, June 17. The events include tours of the collection and interactive art-making activities.

BRONX

• Budgie Landing at the Bronx Zoo: Visit Budgie Landing, a new immersive experience that lets you connect with 1,000 boisterous birds known as budgerigars or “budgies.” Surround yourself with these small, talkative parrots that fly freely through the exhibit. 
• Mini Kiki Ball 2023: Join the Bronx Academy of Art and Dance for their “Out Like That Festival” in celebration of the queer community’s contributions to the arts. Attend the Mini Kiki Ball on June 17th at 5pm, where legendary judges determine who can give Banji Realness, rip the runway in Pride Colors, tell a story with Arms Control, serve Face like the legend of the 90s, and more!
• Orchard Beach: The Bronx’s only public beach, spanning 1.1 miles and 115 acres, is notable for its breathtaking views of City Island. You can enjoy concession stands, two picnic areas and 26 courts for basketball, volleyball and handball.

CONNECTICUT

• 2023 International Festival of Arts & Ideas: The International Festival of Arts & Ideas returns for its 28th Festival from June 10th through June 25th, with 150 events related to the theme “Rise” in New Haven. From art and music to dance, theater and more—there’s something for everyone.
• Summer Solstice Trail Run: Choose from 8 mile, 5 mile, and 3 mile trail runs this Saturday, June 17! The 8 Mile race is part of the 2023 Blue-Blazed Trail Running Series. Race participants earn a custom designed Happy Trails water bottle with an option to add on a Happy Trails customer designed short sleeve tee.

For more weekend inspiration, check out Time Out’s list of the “best things to do in NYC this week.”

Most people correlate the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 to Abraham Lincoln freeing slaves. However, it was not that simple. In fact, most slave owners were aware of the proclamation, yet they refrained from letting slaves go or telling them the truth.

It wasn’t until Union Major General Gordon announced the General Order No.3 to Texas saying, “The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired labor.” Six months later, slavery became permanently abolished. 

Juneteenth had marked a day of celebration despite previously not being a federal holiday. Still, it did not stop those from celebrating their freedom. It wasn’t until 2021, just two years ago, that the U.S. made Juneteenth a federal holiday.

So, where can people celebrate Juneteenth in New York City?

Juneteenth NY Festival

The Juneteenth NY Festival will encapsulate the celebration of Juneteenth for three days in Brooklyn from Friday through Sunday. The festivities kick off Friday with an online summit that will discuss health and wellness for the community. Saturday will mark its festival day with over 100 vendors in Linden/Gershwin Park, and a kids zone. Continuing into Sunday, the festival will have a live concert, a fashion show, and a parade that will march through Prospect Park starting at Grand Army Plaza. This free Brooklyn festival will have food, dancing, artists, and more. 

Location/Time: 

• June 16 – Online (9 a.m. to 6 p.m.)
• June 17 – Linden Blvd. &, Vermont St, Brooklyn, NY 11207, (10 a.m. to 6 p.m.)
• June 18 – Enter through 105 Prospect Park Southwest, Brooklyn, NY 11215, (10 a.m. to 6 p.m.)

Juneteenth Food Festival

For those looking for food to celebrate the holiday, look no further. Black-Owned Brooklyn will host a food festival of 29 Black food businesses. These stands will hold the traditional African American dishes along with some dishes from Africa and the Caribbean. There will also be clothing, books, jewelry and more from other Black owned businesses. While at the food festival people will be able to listen to live music and participate in many activities. 

Location/Time: June 17 & 18 – 158 Buffalo Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11213, (12 p.m. to 7 p.m.)

Broadway Celebrates Juneteenth 

Broadway will be holding a free Juneteenth event with Black Broadway artists in Time Square. There will be plenty of performances by many actors from popular broadway shows such as: “MJ The Musical,” “SIX,” “Sweeny Todd,” “& Juliet,” “Chicago “and more. The show will be hosted by Michael James Scott who is best known for his Broadway role of the Genie from “Aladdin” the Disney Musical. 

Location/Time: June 18 – Time Square between 46th and 47th St, (11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.)

Juneteenth – Outdoor Freedom Fest NYC

This free outdoor fest in Harlem is perfect for friends and family to attend. There will be food, music, trivia and more, along with free giveaways and surprises. The event will also have a kids zone for the little ones to enjoy and plenty of small businesses to support. 

Location/Time: June 17 – W. 125th Street & Adam Clayton Powell Blvd at The Harlem State Office Building Plaza, (12 p.m. to 7 p.m.)

Juneteenth in Battery Park 

This free experience tells the history of Juneteenth with the help of the Federation of Black Cowboys. These cowboys and cowgirls share the history while also demonstrating horsemanship and horseback riding. Those who come will get to make their own Juneteenth flag and other art, while listening to live music. 

Location/Time: June 17 – Rockefeller Park 75 Battery Place, New York, NY, (4 p.m. to 6 p.m.)

Juneteenth – Straight Joy. No Chasers

The Lay Out presents a Juneteenth event with plenty of fun activities including, meditation, a marketplace, Fort Greene walking tour, and DJ’s. The tour will include seeing Lil Kim’s old home and Spike Lee’s 40 acres of land. Along with that, the Lay Out has teamed up with Amazon Music, Scene in Black (HBO Max), Fort Greene Park Conservancy and more. 

Location/Time: June 18 – Dekalb Avenue &, S Portland Ave, 11205, (10 a.m. to 6 p.m.)

Brooklyn Museum Juneteenth Jubilee

The Brooklyn Museum celebrates Juneteenth with plenty of different events and activities. The free event will hold a schedule which will start off with dance performances by the Renegade Performance Group. People can get their photo taken, listen to DJ’s, grab a bite of food, make art, and more. 

Location/Time: June 18 – 200 Eastern Parkway Brooklyn, NY United States (2 p.m. to 6 p.m.)

The Louis Armstrong House Museum: Juneteenth Concert

The iconic Louis Armstrong House will be hosting a Juneteenth outdoor concert featuring Charles Turner and Uptown Swing. This music will get audiences in the Juneteenth celebration with its swing and jazz music. The museum will be open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., which will allow visitors to tour the museum before or after the show! Attendees will need to buy a ticket to enter the museum, however, the event is free. 

Location/Time: June 17 – 34-56 107th St, Queens, NY 11368 (2 p.m. to 3 p.m.)

Price: Adult $15 – Senior, Student, Active Military, Visitory with Disabilities $12 – 

Corona Residents $5 – Children free

Living History: Celebrate Juneteenth

These historical interpreters will allow visitors to immerse themselves into learning about Junteenth. The New York Historical Society Museum & Library will be holding an experience in order to educate people on the history behind Juneteenth and how people have celebrated it in the past. Visitors will be able to learn traditions of the holiday, how to set a Juneteenth table, and how to create a Juneteenth flag. 

Location/Time: June 17 – 170 Central Park West at Richard Gilder Way (77th Street) New York, NY 10024 (1 p.m. to 3 p.m.)

Juneteenth in Seneca Village

At Seneca Village, people will be able to celebrate Juneteenth through nature and health. This experience will focus primarily on one’s well-being. People will be able to create art, participate in yoga, watch comedians live, and listen to live jazz music. 

Location/Time: June 17 – Central Park, Central Park West, New York, NY 10024, (10 a.m. to 2 p.m.)

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.

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 19th, as a federal holiday.

And just as many people learn what Juneteenth is all about, the holiday’s traditions are facing new pressures — political rhetoric condemning efforts to teach Americans about the nation’s racial history, companies using the holiday as a marketing event, people partying without understanding why.

Here is a look at the origins of Juneteenth, how it became a federal holiday and more about its history.

HOW DID JUNETEENTH START?

The celebrations began with enslaved people in Galveston, Texas. Although President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation freed the slaves in 1863, it could not be enforced in many places in the South until the Civil War ended in 1865. Even then, some white people who had profited from their unpaid labor were reluctant to share the news.

Laura Smalley, freed from a plantation near Bellville, Texas, remembered in a 1941 interview that the man she referred to as “old master” came home from fighting in the Civil War and didn’t tell the people he enslaved what had happened.

“Old master didn’t tell, you know, they was free,” Smalley said. “I think now they say they worked them, six months after that. Six months. And turn them loose on the 19th of June. That’s why, you know, we celebrate that day.”

News that the war had ended and they were free finally reached Galveston when Union Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger and his troops arrived in the Gulf Coast city on June 19, 1865, more than two months after Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee surrendered to Union Gen. Ulysses S. Grant in Virginia.

Granger delivered General Order No. 3, which said: “The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired labor.”

Slavery was permanently abolished six months later when Georgia ratified the 13th Amendment. And the next year, the now-free people of Galveston started celebrating Juneteenth, an observance that has continued and spread around the world. Events include concerts, parades and readings of the Emancipation Proclamation.

WHAT DOES ‘JUNETEENTH’ MEAN?

It’s a blend of the words June and nineteenth. The holiday has also been called Juneteenth Independence Day, Freedom Day, second Independence Day and Emancipation Day.

It began with church picnics and speeches and spread as Black Texans moved elsewhere.

Most U.S. states now hold celebrations honoring Juneteenth as a holiday or a day of recognition, like Flag Day. Juneteenth is a paid holiday for state employees in Texas, New York, Virginia, Washington, and now Nevada as well. Hundreds of companies give workers the day off.

Opal Lee, a former teacher and activist, is largely credited for rallying others behind a campaign to make Juneteenth a federal holiday. The 96-year-old had vivid memories of celebrating Juneteenth in East Texas as a child with music, food and games. In 2016, the “little old lady in tennis shoes” walked through her home city of Fort Worth, Texas and then in other cities before arriving in Washington, D.C. Soon, celebrities and politicians were lending their support.

Lee was one of the people standing next to Biden when he signed Juneteenth into law.

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HOW HAVE JUNETEENTH CELEBRATIONS EVOLVED OVER THE YEARS?

The national reckoning over race ignited by the 2020 murder of George Floyd by police helped set the stage for Juneteenth to become the first new federal holiday since 1983 when Martin Luther King Jr. Day was created.

The bill was sponsored by Sen. Edward Markey, D-Mass., and had 60 co-sponsors, a show of bipartisan support as lawmakers struggled to overcome divisions that are still simmering three years later.

Now there is a movement to use the holiday as an opportunity for activism and education, with community service projects aimed at addressing racial disparities and educational panels on topics such as healthcare inequities and the need for parks and green spaces.

Like most holidays, Juneteenth has also seen its fair share of commercialism. Retailers, museums and other venues have capitalized on it by selling Juneteenth-themed T-shirts, party ware and ice cream. Some of the marketing has misfired, provoking a social media backlash.

Supporters of the holiday have also worked to make sure Juneteenth celebrators don’t forget why the day exists.

“In 1776 the country was freed from the British, but the people were not all free,” Dee Evans, national director of communications of the National Juneteenth Observance Foundation, said in 2019. “June 19, 1865, was actually when the people and the entire country was actually free.”

There’s also sentiment to use the day to remember the sacrifices that were made for freedom in the United States — especially in these racially and politically charged days.

Said Para LaNell Agboga, museum site coordinator at the George Washington Carver Museum, Cultural and Genealogy Center in Austin, Texas: “Our freedoms are fragile, and it doesn’t take much for things to go backward.”

The concert, to be held June 13, will be on the South Lawn of the White House. During the event, the White House says it will “uplift American art forms that sing to the soul of the American experience” as part of Black Music Month.

Artists that will be featured include Tony Award winner Audra McDonald, singer and talk show host Jennifer Hudson, and Cliff “Method Man” Smith, a member of the legendary hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan.

The list of performers also includes the Hampton University Concert Choir, Morgan State University’s Magnificent Marching Machine, Step Afrika! and “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band,” the White House website says.

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Juneteenth marks when the last enslaved people in the United States learned they were free — which occurred June 19, 1885, when Union soldiers told enslaved Black people in Galveston, Texas, news of their freedom. It became a federal holiday in 2021.

“This is a day of profound weight and profound power, a day in which we remember the moral stain, the terrible toll that slavery took on the country and continues to take,” Biden said two years ago as he signed legislation, backed by overwhelming bipartisan margins in Congress, that established Juneteenth as a federal holiday.

Andrea Swalec contributed to this report.

Lawmakers gave a lengthy standing ovation for Lee, who two years ago stood next to President Joe Biden as Juneteenth officially became the first new federal holiday since Martin Luther King Jr. Day was created in 1983. She had organized walks in cities across the U.S. as part of her campaign to have June 19 recognized as a federal holiday.

Lee was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize in 2022.

Her painting will join those of other celebrated Texas figures on the walls of the 135-year-old Capitol, where nearly a dozen Confederate markers remain in and around the building. Lee, who is from Fort Worth and often called the “ grandmother of Juneteenth,” joins the late U.S. Rep. Barbara Jordan as the only two Black Texans to have portraits in the Senate chamber.

Jordan’s portrait was hung in 1973.

“Change somebody’s mind because minds can be changed,” Lee told reporters after the ceremony. “If people have been taught to hate they can be taught to love, and it is up to you to do it.”

Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when Union soldiers brought the news of freedom to enslaved Black people in Galveston, Texas — two months after the Confederacy had surrendered. That was also about 2 1/2 years after the Emancipation Proclamation freed slaves in the Southern states.

Lee, who began her advocacy to make Juneteenth a holiday at the age of 89, was lauded by senators from both parties who took turns praising her tenacity and legacy. Among them was state Sen. Royce West, a Democrat who is one of two Black senators in the 31-member chamber.

Opponents of Confederate monuments at the state Capitol have fought to remove them for years, and West said there still needs to be a discussion about which portraits were “appropriate” to remain in the state’s senate chamber and which should be in a museum’s collection.

“You can’t hide from the history of this state,” West said.

Rosalind Roland, 62, was among the lively crowd gathered in the upstairs gallery to watch the unveiling. She said her family has organized Juneteenth celebrations for 150 years, but that last year was the first time they celebrated it as an official national holiday, thanks to Lee’s work.

“This is probably the biggest Black history moment I am going to ever have,” Roland said.

Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, a Republican who leads the senate, told Lee when she visited the Capitol in 2021 that her portrait should be hanging on the walls of the chamber. After the unveiling Wednesday, Lee said she wanted “to do a whole dance” the moment she saw the portrait, which was painted by Texas artist Jess Coleman.

“It was beautiful,” she said. “I didn’t know I looked that good.”

The measures curtail the use of prison labor in Alabama, Tennessee and Vermont. In Oregon, “yes” on its anti-slavery ballot initiative was leading, but was too early to call.

In Louisiana, a former slave-holding state, voters rejected a ballot question known as Amendment 7 that asked whether they supported a constitutional amendment to prohibit the use of involuntary servitude in the criminal justice system.

The initiatives on the ballot Tuesday don’t force immediate changes in the states’ prisons, but they may invite legal challenges over the practice of coercing prisoners to work under threat of sanctions or loss of privileges if they refuse the work.

The results were celebrated among anti-slavery advocates, including those pushing to further amend the U.S. Constitution, which prohibits enslavement and involuntary servitude except as a form of criminal punishment. More than 150 years after enslaved Africans and their descendants were released from bondage through ratification of the 13th Amendment, the slavery exception continues to permit the exploitation of low-cost labor by incarcerated individuals.

“Tonight, voters in Oregon and other states have come together across party lines to say that this stain must be removed from state constitutions,” Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley, a Democrat, told The Associated Press.

“Now, it is time for all Americans to come together and say that it must be struck from the U.S. Constitution. There should be no exceptions to a ban on slavery,” he said.

Coinciding with the creation of the Juneteenth federal holiday last year, Merkley and Rep. Nikema Williams, D-Georgia, reintroduced legislation to revise the 13th Amendment to end the slavery exception. If it wins approval in Congress, the constitutional amendment must be ratified by three-fourths of U.S. states.

After Tuesday’s vote, more than a dozen states have constitutions that include language permitting slavery and involuntary servitude for prisoners. Several other states have no constitutional language for or against the use of forced prison labor.

Voters in Colorado became the first to approve removal of slavery exception language from the state constitution in 2018, followed by Nebraska and Utah two years later.

The movement to end or regulate the use of prison labor has existed for decades, since the time when former Confederate states sought ways to maintain the use of chattel slavery after the Civil War. Southern states used racist laws, referred to as “Black codes,” to criminalize, imprison and re-enslave Black Americans over benign behavior.

Today, prison labor is a multibillion-dollar practice. By comparison, workers can make pennies on the dollar. And prisoners who refuse to work can be denied privileges such as phone calls and visits with family, as well as face solitary confinement, all punishments that are eerily similar to those used during antebellum slavery.

“The 13th Amendment didn’t actually abolish slavery — what it did was make it invisible,” Bianca Tylek, an anti-slavery advocate and the executive director of the criminal justice advocacy group Worth Rises, told the AP in an interview ahead of Election Day.

She said passage of the ballot initiatives, especially in red states like Alabama, “is a great signal for what’s possible at the federal level.”

“There is a big opportunity here, in this moment,” Tylek said.

The couple, dentist Nicholas Nicosia and real estate agent Mary Znidarsic-Nicosia, said their July 7 party had been mischaracterized, but Znidarsic-Nicosia confessed to running a racist Twitter account.

According to a legal notice filed by firefighter Jerrod Jones, the Nicosias’ party featured a display mocking the Juneteenth holiday, which celebrates the end of slavery in the 19th century, with Juneteenth flags displayed over buckets of fried chicken.

Jones, a 14-year veteran of the fire department, said his captain forced him and two co-workers to attend the party while on duty. He filed a notice of claim against the city of Rochester and the fire department seeking at least $3 million for emotional distress and at least $1 million in compensatory damages.

Read the full story at NBCNews.com.

President Joe Biden moved quickly last year to federally recognize the day Black Americans have been celebrating since the last enslaved people were told they were free in Galveston, Texas, on June 19, 1865, two years after President Abraham Lincoln’s 1863 Emancipation Proclamation.

In Liberia, Saqar Ahhah Ahershu, 45, from Jersey City, New Jersey, organized the country’s first “Journey Home Festival.”

“Because this is part of that hidden African American history that still hasn’t been completely unpacked,” he said in Monrovia.

Liberia, Africa’s oldest independent republic, was founded by freed slaves repatriated to West Africa from the United States in 1822, exactly 200 years ago this year. The weekend event includes a trip to Providence Island, where former slaves settled before moving into what is now mainland Monrovia.

While there are no official statistics tracking Black Americans moving abroad, many are discussing it more openly after the police killing of George Floyd. In the aftermath, many African Americans saw the U.S. “from the outside in” and made up their minds not to return.

Tashina Ferguson, a 26-year-old debate coach, was living in New York at the time of Eric Garner’s death.

She moved to South Korea in 2019 and planned to celebrate Juneteenth on Sunday with a group of drag performers at a fundraising brunch for the Marsha P. Johnson Institute.

She has mixed feeling about the newest federal holiday.

“The commerciality of Juneteenth has become this like whole, ‘Put it on a T-shirt, put it on ice cream tubs’ type of thing,” she said. “But as a Black person within the Black community I’m like, ‘Yeah, let’s celebrate us.’”

She said that only a powerful change would make her consider returning to the U.S.

Chrishan Wright in New Jersey regularly speaks with Black Americans who plan to or already have made the move abroad.

Wright, 47, hosts the podcast “Blaxit Global” and said many of her guests are tired of the U.S.

“They’ve done all the things to achieve what is supposed to be the American dream, and that yardstick keeps moving. They don’t feel like they’re on solid ground in terms of being able to retire comfortably or pay off student debt or just cover their bills.”

Wright plans to move in 2023 to Portugal. Through her podcast, she already knows of Juneteenth celebrations this weekend in Lisbon, the capital.

In some places with larger populations of Black Americans, Juneteenth is already part of the program.

LaTonya Whitaker, from Mississippi, has lived in Japan for 17 years. She is executive director of Legacy Foundation Japan, which hosted a Juneteenth gathering of about 300 people at the ritzy Tokyo American Club on Saturday.

She and her husband David didn’t plan to live in Japan.

Like Whitaker, many Black Americans at the Juneteenth event came to Japan almost by coincidence, as Christian missionaries or Peace Corps volunteers. But they made Japan their home.

She now wants to raise their son there because she worries about gun violence in the U.S.

“I realized we really need a community,” said Whitaker.

Michael Williams teaches African American history at Temple University in Tokyo and left the U.S. when he was 22. He’s now 66 and had lived abroad for much of his adult life, but returned to the U.S. for graduate school in Boston and Baltimore.

America has changed so much, he feels like a tourist when he visits, he laughed.

Williams said he knows about Juneteenth from teaching history.

“I would always end my presentations that hopefully, someday, this would be a national holiday. And so now it is, and it feels great,” he said.

In Taipei, Toi Windham and Casey Abbott Payne are holding multiple events to celebrate Juneteenth. The two, part of Black Lives Matter Taiwan, are hosting performances by Black artists and musicians.

Both have celebrated with their families long before it was a federal holiday.

Windham has lived in Taiwan for five years, and had always celebrated Juneteenth growing up in Texas. For her, it’s an opportunity to educate people about a different part of American culture, even the darker parts.

“A lot of people tend to enjoy hip-hop culture and the attire and certain parts of our culture, but I feel like it’s important to acknowledge all parts of Black culture,” she said.

Payne, an organizer, has lived in Taiwan for 11 years and said he also celebrated Juneteenth growing up in Milwaukee, which has one of the oldest celebrations nationwide.

“As a kid, I remember the street being lined with street vendors, and there’s music going on and there’d be the Juneteenth parade rolling through,” he said.

Still for others, the day is a chance to joyfully kick back and rest.

In Bangkok, a group called Ebony Expats organized a silent movie screening, a bike ride in a nature reserve and a dinner at a Jamaican restaurant serving jerk chicken and pumpkin soup.

Restaurant owner Collin Clifford McKoy served 20 years in the U.S. Army before eventually opening his restaurant during the pandemic in Thailand. He said the Juneteenth holiday is a chance for Black people to share their culture while being so far from home, American or not.

“Overall, it’s about coming together regardless of where we are, and it tells how much blood runs deep as a community to come together and enjoy ourselves,” he said.

___

Associated Press writers Huizhong Wu in Taipei, Taiwan, Yuri Kageyama in Tokyo, Krista Larson in Dakar, Senegal, and Jonathan Paye-Layleh in Monrovia, Liberia, contributed to this report.

Lewis says she has been an advocate for racial justice since she was young, organizing events on her high school and college campuses. Prior to working at Breakthrough, Lewis was the director of civil, human, and women’s rights at the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations.

As someone with Caribbean parents, Lewis didn’t grow up celebrating Juneteenth but became more aware of its significance after the fatal 2012 shooting of Trayvon Martin.

“It’s not something that I grew up with. It wasn’t a family tradition, but, as a Black person being in Black spaces, learning more and sharing our Black experiences across the diaspora, I realized we get to acknowledge this any way we want.”

In honor of the legacy of Juneteenth, Lewis says these three books should be at the top of your reading list:

“Eloquent Rage: A Black Feminist Discovers Her Superpower”

By Brittney Cooper

The trope of Black women being aggressive is something many people would like to disappear. However, Brittney Cooper takes this stereotype and recharacterizes it in this collection of essays. Walking readers through her own personal experiences with the problems facing Black women, Cooper demonstrates that “eloquent rage” is a reminder that women don’t have to be complacent, and that their passion and fury is what makes them iconic.

Lewis says that this book “aligns with her own journey as a Black feminist.”

“I think a lot of the folks that Brittney, references, and mentions made me realize, ‘yeah, this is this is what feminism looks like.’ It also helped me answer the question how do you find yourself? Your purpose, passion and joy? I think we’ve all got different superpowers, and you’ve got to figure out what yours is. But that journey, she takes us through, you know, it’s just such a different perspective. And it felt like there was a lot of synergy there.”

“All Boys Aren’t Blue”

By George M. Johnson

This book is a memoir/manifesto about Johnson’s early life growing up as a young, gay Black man. Appealing to young adults, Johnson walks readers through the trials and tribulations he faced as a boy in addition to the joys he experienced along the way. 

‘All Boys Aren’t Blue’ touches on complex topics such as consent, toxic masculinity and gender identity, and Lewis believes this book has “broken barriers” young, Black, queer men of color.

“Just As I Am: A Memoir”

By Cicely Tyson

The late Cicely Tyson is a legend in the Black community for her roles in movies like ‘Sounder’ and TV projects like ‘Roots.’ Though she played many different roles during her 60-year-long career, her portrayal of a powerful black woman was constant, garnering her the love, respect, and matriarch status of Black women from all walks of life.

Her memoir walks readers through her life before and after the fame, and exposes the pain and hurt she felt as a Black woman living in America. Lewis praises Tyson for her authenticity and transparency in sharing her story.

“Looking at the dynamic life that she lived, there’s so much that I learned from the book. Literally from the struggles of the early 1900s, to becoming someone who’s just broken so many barriers in film. She is very, very inspirational to me.”

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Juneteenth is a cause for celebration.

The holiday, also called Emancipation Day and Jubilee Day, celebrates the day that slaves in Galveston, Texas, were finally informed of their freedom — even though President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation two years prior.

Although Juneteenth was first celebrated in 1866, it wasn’t recognized as a federal holiday until June 2021 when President Joe Biden signed it into law.

“This is a day, in my view, of profound weight and profound power,” Biden said during the signing ceremony at the White House. “A day in which we remember the moral stain, terrible toll that slavery took on the country and continues to take.”

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Since Juneteenth is now a federal holiday, many schools, businesses and government buildings will be closed on Monday, June 20. If you’re looking for something to do, you’re in luck because we’ve rounded up all the best ways to celebrate Juneteenth, whether virtually or in person.

Take a look at all of the events happening in the United States, along with other meaningful ways to observe the holiday with family and friends.

Attend Juneteenth parades and events

Since Juneteenth has become widely recognized, more events have been popping up around the country. If you live in New York, Texas, Pennsylvania, Kentucky and Georgia, then you’re in for a treat because there will be plenty of events throughout the weekend.

Here are some popular Juneteenth events happening in 2022:

• Atlanta, Georgia: Juneteenth Atlanta Parade & Music Festival, June 17 to 19
• Fort Worth, Texas: I Am Juneteenth Festival, June 18
• Louisville, Kentucky: Louisville Juneteenth Festival, June 16 to 19
• New York City, New York: Juneteenth Family Fun Day Festival, June 17 to 19
• Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: Juneteenth Homecoming Celebration, June 17 to 19

Get your grub on

It isn’t Juneteenth until you chow down on some good soul food, the ethnic cuisine prepared by African Americans. This type of cooking came out of necessity when enslaved people no choice but to prepare meals with inexpensive ingredients and limited supplies.

Once African Americans gained their freedom, staples of the past, including catfish and red soda water, became revered. As time went on, soul food took on a whole new meaning. Now, a typical soul food meal consists of fried meats, hearty side dishes and sweet drinks like lemonade.

While you can always spend Juneteenth whipping up some inspired recipes, you might want to leave it up to the pros. In that case, head to your local Black-owned restaurant for a delicious meal.

Shop Black-owned businesses

Black-owned companies have struggled during the coronavirus pandemic and could greatly use your help.

Forbes learned that Black-owned businesses fell 41% between February and April 2020, and if they were able to stay open, then an August 2020 survey found that it would be incredibly hard for them to remain profitable.

This Juneteenth, take stock of what you need and consider buying exclusively from Black-owned food, beauty and kidswear brands. Check out The Nile List and similar directories to find a range of businesses to shop from.

While you’re at it, support Black authors, musicians and artists too. Because your dollar can really go a long way.

Set aside the day to dive even deeper into the past, present and future of Black culture. Take a trip to the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute in Birmingham, Alabama, the DuSable Museum of African American History in Chicago, Illinois, or the Caribbean Cultural Center African Diaspora Institute in New York.

Learn more about Black culture

But if that doesn’t interest you, then you can always round up your closest family and friends for a movie night.

Press play on films shining a light on Black talent, like “Alice” with Keke Palmer or “Emergency” directed by Carey Williams. Not only are these movies incredibly entertaining, but they’ll also provoke important conversations.

Get the kids involved

It’s never too early to start teaching your kids about the importance of Juneteenth. Round up a bunch of Juneteenth-inspired crafts, so they can learn by doing. Help them make the Juneteenth Pan-African flag by glueing popsicle sticks together and coloring them with red, black and green markers, just like the blogger behind Crafting a Fun Life did here.

Another idea: Jot down different Black leaders’ names on pieces of paper, stick them in a bowl and ask your kids to pick a name to learn about their impact. You can also sprinkle in a few Juneteenth quotes for good measure.

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Juneteenth marks the day in 1865 when the Emancipation Proclamation was brought to enslaved people in Texas — more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln issued it. 

This year will be the second one that the United States has recognized the day as a federal holiday.

Here are some upcoming events honoring this year’s celebration:

Manhattan

Broadway Celebrates Juneteenth

Duffy Square, Broadway between 45th & 47th Streets, Midtown, Sunday, 12 to 1:30 p.m.

Cost: Free

Black performers, and allies, from a variety of Broadway shows will perform their own works, including song, dance, and poetry as well as live music.

Juneteenth March/5K Run/Walk/Roll

Begins at the Engineers Gate on 90th Street & 5th Ave, Sunday, 12 to 2 p.m.

Cost: Payment is optional for registration, $25 donation is recommended

Originally founded as The Juneteenth March back in 2020, a peaceful march from Harlem to City Hall, it highlighted the wide range of injustices and lack of reform for Black residents in New York City and across the United States. The march has since evolved into the Juneteenth March/5K Run/Walk/Roll. Following its change of purpose, all proceeds are now donated towards funding for The Harlem Community Center, which is a community center that offers services from more than 30 community-based organizations.

Celebrating Black LGBTQIA+ Creatives at “The Center“

7th Avenue and Greenwich Avenue, Sunday, 12 to 5 p.m.

Cost: Free

The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Community Center (commonly called “The Center”) has been known as a safe space and resource hub for the LGBTQIA+ community since 1983. They are continuing their Pride Month celebrations with Black of Center: a Juneteenth Block Festival featuring Black LGBTQIA+ artists, storytellers, small businesses, vendors, as well as interactive activities like art workshops, readings, musical sets by DJ Jamz, and discussion boards from members of the community.

The Big Payback Screening at The Apollo

235 W 125th Street, Sunday, screening begins at 6 p.m.

Cost: Free

There will be a free community screening of Color Farm’s THE BIG PAYBACK, co-directed by Erika Alexander and Whitney Dow.

Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)

Marcus Garvey Park, Friday, screening begins at 8 p.m.

Cost: Free

This Friday Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) will return to the Capital One City Parks Foundation SummerStage to open their season of shows in neighborhood parks, commemorating Juneteenth.

Brooklyn

13th Annual Juneteenth NY 2022 Festival

Linden Park on Linden Blvd. & Vermont St. in East New York, June 18, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Prospect Park at the Main Entrance – Lafayette Memorial – Prospect Park W & 9th Street, Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., online, Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Cost: Free

This three day festival begins Friday. Health & Wellness Day “Mind, Body & Soul” is the first event when the celebration kicks off its virtual summit on Friday and continues in person throughout the rest of the weekend with performances from local talent, and vendors featuring a selection of local, Black-owned restaurants. There will be basketball clinics with The Brooklyn Nets and the New York Liberty, a fashion exhibition and more.

Honoring Juneteenth

Brooklyn Museum, 200 Eastern Parkway, Prospect Heights, Sunday, 12 to 6 p.m.

Cost: Free

The Brooklyn Museum is honoring Juneteenth with a full day of activities. Since Juneteenth coincides with Fathers Day, this year’s event will feature activities for the whole family.

New York City Juneteenth/Freedom Day Celebration at Grand Army Plaza

10 Grand Army Plaza, Brooklyn, NY 11238, at the steps of the Brooklyn Public Library, Sunday, photo op and press conference at 9 a.m., celebration and festivities 8 to 11:30 a.m.

Cost: Free

The family-friendly event will include spoken word performers, poets and musicians.

Queens

André De Shields is Frederick Douglass: Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory

Flushing Town Hall, 137-35 Northern Blvd, Flushing, Sunday, 2 to 8 p.m.

Cost: $40; $30 members & seniors; $20 students; $10 children younger than 12

Tony, Grammy and Emmy Award winner and Hadestown star André De Shields performs an excerpt from his self-made solo work and one-man show “Frederick Douglass: Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory.”

Juneteenth Storytime

Queens Public Library, Richmond Hill, 118-14 Hillside Avenue, Richmond Hill, Saturday, 11 to 11:30 a.m.

Cost: Free

Children and caregivers are welcomed to the Queens Public Library for a special storytime to learn more about Juneteenth through picture books.

The Princess and the Frog Screening at the Museum of the Moving Image

Museum of the Moving Image , 36-01 35th Ave., Astoria, Friday to Sunday: Friday 2:30 p.m.; Sunday, 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.

Cost:  $15; $11 seniors 65 and older and students over 18; $9 ages 3-17

The Museum of the Moving Image is celebrating Juneteenth with a movie showing that celebrates Black heritage including screenings of the 2009 Disney animated film The Princess and the Frog, which features the first African American Disney princess, Tiana.

The Bronx

2nd Annual Juneteenth Family Day

Pelham Bay Park, Middletown Road & Stadium Avenue, Bronx, Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Cost: Free

This event is family friendly and includes events such as arts and crafts, face painting, live performances, and more.

Juneteenth Celebration and Ceremony at Van Cortlandt Park Alliance

Van Cortlandt Park, 242nd Street and Broadway, Bronx, Monday, 6 to 7:30 p.m.

Cost: Free

The Van Cortlandt Park Alliance is commemorating Juneteenth with performances, including music and spoken word. After the performances, you can follow in a procession with drums to the Enslaved African Burial Ground for a libation ceremony, honoring the memory of the enslaved people.

Staten Island

Juneteenth Freedom Parade

Lineup starts at 85 Snug Harbor Rd. at 8:30 a.m. and step off is at 10 a.m., Saturday

Cost: Free

The Jubilee Collective will host the first Juneteenth Freedom Parade on Saturday. All are welcome to share in the jubilation to watch or walk in the parade.

Juneteenth Celebration Active Performance

The Staten Island Children’s Museum on Sunday, Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. 

Cost: Free

Grammy-nominated music and social justice artist Fyütch will perform behind the Museum on the South Meadow of Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Garden as part of the Juneteenth Freedom Festival organized by the Jubilee Collective in celebration of Juneteenth.

New Jersey

NEWARK: Newark Museum of Art Juneteenth Festival in Honor of Harriet Tubman

Washington Park (which will soon be renamed Harriet Tubman Square), across the street from the NMOA (49 Washington St., Newark), Saturday, 12 to 5 p.m.

Cost: Free

The Newark Museum of Art is hosting an outdoor festival in honor of Harriet Tubman where guests can decorate ceramic tiles that will then be used to create the Harriet Tubman Monument in Washington Park. Jacari Harris, executive director of the George Floyd Foundation, will speak, and performances by Black artists and dancers are scheduled throughout the day.

MAPLEWOOD: MAPSO Juneteenth Festival

Memorial Park (580 Valley St.), Saturday, 5 to 9 p.m.

Cost: Free

MAPSO (Maplewood & South Orange) will host a festival including readings and performances by Ras Heru, Donyah Michelle, Rachelle Parker, SOMA Justice, Jané, Autumn Jones and more. A fireworks show will end the night.

BLOOMFIELD: Black-Owned Business Festival

Between Bloomfield and Glenwood Avenues and Lackawanna, Saturday, 12 to 6 p.m.

Cost: Free

Black-owned businesses will be celebrated at Bloomfield’s 2nd annual Juneteenth celebration. Throughout the day, visitors will participate in live inspiration services, dance classes and musical performances. Hair stylists from the area will pay homage to Madam CJ Walker in The Giveback Hair Show.

Connecticut

WEST HAVEN: West Haven Celebrates Juneteenth

Brent Watt Park, Saturday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Cost: Free

The city of West Haven is celebrating Juneteenth with an event featuring local vendors, music, food and a talent showcase. Learn about the history behind Juneteenth and celebrate with residents and local officials.

OLD LYME: Jazz & Poetry Event: Juneteenth Celebration

Florence Griswold Museum, Saturday, 2 to 4 p.m.

Cost: Free

The Juneteenth celebration takes place on the grounds of the Museum and features music by the Nat Reeves Jazz Quartet and readings by the Witness Stones Poets Marilyn Nelson, Kate Rushin, Rhonda Ward, and Antoinette Brim-Bell who created a tribute in verse to those remembered with Lyme Street plaques which mark former sites of enslavement and indentured servitude.

ENFIELD: Juneteenth Festival Celebration

Enfield Town Green, Sunday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Cost: Free

UJIMA African American Alliance is hosting a Juneteenth festival.

Rockland County

HAVERSTRAW: The Juneteenth Celebration

Clinton Street, Saturday, 3 to 5 p.m.

Cost: Free

The Haverstraw African American Connection is hosting their 7th annual Juneteenth celebration. There will be a parade, food, vendors, a kids zone, and live music with special musical guest, Mietta Stancil-Farrar.

SPRING VALLEY: ForTheCulture Juneteenth Fest

Memorial Park, Sunday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Cost: Free

The ForTheCulture Foundation will host an event that will feature entertainment from local talent, food & drinks, as well as games & activities for the entire family to enjoy.

For more information on Juneteenth and related news, click here.

President Joe Biden established Juneteenth National Independence Day as a federal holiday when he signed into law a bill passed by both chambers of Congress.

The Senate approved the bill unanimously; only 14 House Republicans — many representing states that were part of the slave-holding Confederacy in the 19th century — opposed the measure.

What is this federal holiday, and what is its history? Here’s a look:

What is the history of Juneteenth?

The celebration started with the freed enslaved people of Galveston, Texas. Although the Emancipation Proclamation freed enslaved people in the South in 1863, it could not be enforced in many places until after the end of the Civil War in 1865.

Laura Smalley, freed from a plantation near Bellville, Texas, remembered in a 1941 interview that her former master had gone to fight in the Civil War and came home without telling his slaves what had happened.

“Old master didn’t tell, you know, they was free,” Smalley said at the time. “I think now they say they worked them, six months after that. Six months. And turn them loose on the 19th of June. That’s why, you know, we celebrate that day.”

Union Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger and his troops arrived at Galveston on June 19, 1865, with news that the war had ended and that the enslaved were now free. That was more than two months after Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee surrendered to Union Gen. Ulysses S. Grant in Virginia.

Granger delivered General Order No. 3, which said: “The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired labor.”

The next year, the now-free people started celebrating Juneteenth in Galveston. Its observance has continued around the nation and the world since. Events include concerts, parades and readings of the Emancipation Proclamation.

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Why is it called ‘Juneteenth’?

The term Juneteenth is a blend of the words June and nineteenth. The holiday has also been called Juneteenth Independence Day or Freedom Day.

When did Juneteenth become a federal holiday?

The Juneteenth National Independence Day Act was signed into law on June 17, 2021, two days before the 2021 Juneteenth holiday.

However, the vast majority of states already recognized Juneteenth as a holiday or a day of recognition, like Flag Day, and most states hold celebrations. For years, Juneteenth has been a paid holiday for state employees in Texas, New York, Virginia and Washington, and hundreds of companies give workers a day off for Juneteenth.

When is Juneteenth 2022 and will federal employees get a day off?

This year, federal and private employers are giving workers the day off to observe the holiday on Monday, June 20, because June 19 falls on a Sunday.

Will markets and banks be closed for the holiday? 

Yes, the Federal Reserve System and the New York Stock Exchange have added Juneteenth to their list of observed holidays and will be closed on Monday, June 20, because June 19 falls on a Sunday.

Since most financial institutions follow the Fed’s holiday schedule, the vast majority of banks are expected to be closed on Monday as well.

The U.S. Postal Service will also be closed on June 20, as will all federal government buildings and government offices.

How do you observe Juneteenth?

Early celebrations involved church picnics, family gatherings and speeches.

Today, while many of those traditions remain, some larger cities host parades and festivals for the community.

Why was Juneteenth made a federal holiday?

The national reckoning over race helped set the stage for Juneteenth to become the first new federal holiday since 1983, when Martin Luther King Jr. Day was created.

The bill was sponsored by Sen. Edward Markey, D-Mass., and had 60 co-sponsors. Bipartisan support emerged as lawmakers struggle to overcome divisions that are still simmering following the police killing last year of George Floyd in Minnesota.

Supporters of the holiday have worked to make sure Juneteenth celebrators don’t forget why the day exists.

“In 1776 the country was freed from the British, but the people were not all free,” Dee Evans, national director of communications of the National Juneteenth Observance Foundation, said in 2019. “June 19, 1865, was actually when the people and the entire country was actually free.”

There’s also sentiment to use the day to remember the sacrifices that were made for freedom in the United States — especially in these racially and politically charged days. Said Para LaNell Agboga, museum site coordinator at the George Washington Carver Museum, Cultural and Genealogy Center in Austin, Texas: “Our freedoms are fragile, and it doesn’t take much for things to go backward.”

But many are getting backlash on social media for what critics say undermines the day, designated as a federal holiday last year to honor the emancipation of enslaved African Americans. A search for Juneteenth items among online sellers like Amazon and J.C. Penney produced everything from toothpicks with pan-African flags to party plates and balloons.

Walmart, the nation’s largest retailer, apologized last month after getting slammed for a Juneteenth ice cream flavor — swirled red velvet and cheesecake — under its store label Great Value. Walmart said it’s reviewing its product assortment and will remove items “as appropriate.” As of Thursday, Walmart’s site was still offering lots of T-shirts and party plates.

Meanwhile, the Indianapolis Children’s Museum removed a Juneteenth watermelon salad from its menu and issued a mea culpa earlier this week. In a statement posted on its Facebook page, the museum blamed a lapse in vendor oversight, noting the label and salad were not reviewed by museum staff.

“We are an imperfect institution, but we are committed to improvement and will work tirelessly to regain your trust,” the museum wrote on its Facebook page.

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The backlash comes as companies promised after the police killing of George Floyd in May of 2020 to no longer stay silent and vowed to take an active role in confronting and educating customers and employees on systemic racism. According to the preliminary results of a survey by Mercer of 200 employers, 33% are offering Juneteenth as a paid holiday to their staff. That’s up from 9% last year in a survey of more than 400 companies conducted shortly before Juneteenth was declared a federal holiday.

At the same time, many have cashed in on a holiday that Black Americans have observed since June 19, 1865, when Union Major General Gordon Granger proclaimed freedom for enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, in alignment with President Abraham Lincoln’s 1863 Emancipation Proclamation.

Many experts believe that if retailers and other marketers plan to recognize the day, they should either sell merchandise from Black-owned businesses or invest in campaigns that would help Black communities. Amazon. for instance, does have a Black-owned business storefront that’s live all year-round for customers who want to support and shop Black-owned businesses selling on the site.

“This is a serious and reflective moment — I am excited and grateful for the recognition,” said Ramon Manning, chairman of the board at Emancipation Park Conservancy, a nonprofit organization aimed to restore the park, which was purchased in 1872 by a group of former enslaved people to commemorate the anniversary of their emancipation.

“However, I feel like it is also brought back everybody else out of the woodwork who are opportunists more so than folks who are looking at the history of this country and looking at where a group of people have come from,” he added.

Manning, who is also founder and chairman of Ridgegate Capital, a private investment fund, further wondered: “Who is this going to benefit?”

Sheryl Daija, founder and CEO of Bridge, a group of marketing and diversity, equity and inclusion executives, noted there’s a disconnect between the seriousness of the holiday and the merchandise on display.

“A lot of companies have good intentions, but unfortunately good intentions can go awry, and this is what we have seen,” said Daija, who found Walmart’s Juneteenth ice cream particularly egregious because it used the holiday moniker to brand a new ice cream flavor.

Companies have a long history of commercializing holidays and other moments in order to cash in. Take Cinco de Mayo, which has become in the U.S a celebration of all things Mexican, with companies selling everything from beans to beer to sombrero hats. The holiday has spread from the American Southwest, even though most have no idea about its original ties to the U.S. Civil War, abolition and promotion of civil rights for Blacks. In fact, it’s often mistaken for Mexican Independence day.

Meanwhile, every October, retailers are awash in pink merchandise to celebrate Breast Cancer Awareness month, but critics say many make misleading claims about supporting cancer groups. And Memorial Day, a federal holiday day designated to mourn the U.S. military who have died while serving in the U.S. armed forces, has morphed into all-day mattress sales at stores.

But what makes the move by companies to cash in on Juneteenth worse is that it comes as the U.S. remains fraught with racial tensions, said Darnise Martin, clinical associate professor of African American studies at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles.

“It is weird to merchandise around it, but that’s what America does,” Martin said.

“I’m not sure if that’s the catalyst for me wanting Juneteenth, for everybody to know about it,” the now 95-year-old said. “It’s freedom, you know. And not freedom for black people or Texas people. It’s freedom for everyone.” Known as the “Grandmother of Juneteenth,” Lee went on to successfully advocate for turning the commemorative day into a federally recognized national holiday.

Born in Marshall, Texas, Lee grew up surrounded by Juneteenth celebrations. “We’d go to the fairgrounds, and there’d be music and food. And games and food. And people speaking, and food and food and food!” When her family later moved to Fort Worth, the big Juneteenth parties all but ended. “People would only celebrate with friends,” she said.

Eventually that changed, though.  Lee met a woman named Lenora Rolla. Rolla founded  the Tarrant County Black Historical and Genealogical Society after the city tasked her with gathering the history of African Americans in early Fort Worth. She learned that there wasn’t much on record nor were there programs teaching or celebrating that history. Lee helped Rolla grow the Juneteenth celebrations from private parties to big gatherings in local parks.

“Oh, I remember Juneteenth in Sycamore Park. Tiny little park. And the paper said there were thirty thousand in a three-day period. Ten thousand people a day. And did we have fun!” Lee stayed involved with the organization and made sure her family followed her lead, teaching her children and grandchildren the importance of Juneteenth.

“Well, I’ll tell you this. We’ve always been around Juneteenth,” said Dione Sims, one of Lee’s grandchildren. “I did the souvenir book, stuff on the computer, that kind of thing. I didn’t march in the parades. It was hot. You know, June is hot! But I did stuff in the background, made sure programs and things were done.”

Sims took on a secretary role for her grandmother in 2016 as Lee became more and more involved in Juneteenth celebrations and the media requests started pouring in. “We finished 2016 Juneteenth and she tells me that she wants to walk to Washington, DC.”

Sims had concerns about her grandmother making the 1,440-mile trek from Fort Worst to DC at 89.

But Lee insisted. She needed to talk to everybody about Juneteenth becoming a federal holiday. “And so I decided if a little old lady in tennis shoes walked from Fort Worth to Washington, somebody would take notice,” said Lee.

She walked two and a half miles every morning and every evening to symbolize the two and a half years it took for the news of freedom to reach the slaves in Texas in 1865. She walked from Fort Worth to Arlington to Grand Prairie to Dallas. She walked and people walked with her, including Sims.

“We were in Dallas County, and we said let’s switch it up. Let’s make it a symbolic walk,” said Sims. The team decided to walk two and a half miles in the morning and in the evening in cities where Juneteenth celebrations were taking place. 

Lee and her team were invited to dozens of cities across the country — Tuskegee, Shreveport, Denver, Philadelphia, Chicago, and Atlanta to name just a few.

“She walked every time, and folks walked with her, and it was beautiful,” said Sims. “The country really embraced her.”

The team used the walks to gain support for their petition asking for Juneteenth to be officially recognized as a federal holiday. With the goal of 100,000 signatures, Lee and crew talked to anyone and everyone they could, including presidential candidates at the debates and celebrities like P. Diddy and Usher, to help with the cause. By September 2020, the team amassed 1.5 million signatures and took those signatures to Congress.

On June 17, 2021, President Biden signed the bill making Juneteenth a federal holiday. Lee and Sims went to the White House for the signing. Vice President Harris met them in the Rose Garden and President Biden took a knee in front of Lee before signing the bill officially making Juneteenth a federal holiday. “Oh, I was elated. I was humbled. I still pinch myself thinking ‘did it really happen?’” Lee said.

Getting Juneteenth federally recognized wasn’t Lee’s only big achievement of late. The activist now owns the lot her childhood home was on when it burned down back in 1939.

“I think it’s full circle. We’re going to put a house here and I’m going to move in it! My house is so full of stuff, they’re going to make a museum out of it,” she laughed. “I’m going to move to 940 E Annie St. It’s full circle.”

The organization was designed to celebrate and empower the Black community while educating others on how to change the narrative about Black history.

There will be a summit, festival and concert spanning across three days. Each event is free for participants and caters to people of all ages.  

Health & Wellness Day “Mind, Body & Soul” is the first event when the celebration kicks off its virtual summit on June 17. Attendants can participate in panel discussions and engage in cooking classes, yoga and nutrition sessions.

The remaining days of the festival will be in-person events. On June 18, the festival will take place at Linden Park from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and feature 100 vendors, at-home products and community talents.

All events for Father’s Day are set to take place in Prospect Park. The day will start off with games, exercise sessions, a fashion show and end with the live concert.

In 2020, the organization saw over 20,000 attendees for their remote event. They are now expecting more than 25,000 people for this year’s weekend of events.

Registration and tickets can be claimed through Eventbrite. For more information, visit the Juneteenth NY site or their Instagram page.

A photo of the packaged salad circulated across social media as the museum was inviting attendees on Facebook to its Juneteenth Jamboree on Saturday, June 18.  The museum eventually updated the post, which received hundreds of comments discussing the salad, directing individuals to a statement and apology shared on its website. 

“As a museum, we apologize and acknowledge the negative impact that stereotypes have on communities of color,” the statement read. “The salad has been removed from the menu. We are currently reviewing how we may best convey these stories and traditions during this year’s Juneteenth celebration as well as making changes around how future food selections are made by our food service provider.”

The statement continued, adding, “Our food service provider uses the food and beverage menu to commemorate and raise awareness of holidays like Juneteenth. The team that made this selection included their staff members who based this choice of food on their own family traditions.”

“As we work to create a culture of empowerment and inclusivity, we know there will be stumbles along the way,” the museum said. “As a museum, we have put a significant effort behind sharing the critical and diverse stories of a wide range of individuals. We also have placed a strong emphasis on expanding DEAI initiatives throughout the museum.”

To conclude the statement, the museum said, “We resolve to do better, and continue bringing all voices forward in our work.”

TODAY reached out to the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis for comment but was directed to the public statement. A rep for the museum told TODAY they would not be making new statements at this time.

Juneteenth, which takes place on June 19 each year, honors the official end of slavery in the United States. The holiday marks the day when enslaved people in Galveston, Texas were informed they were free when federal troops arrived on June 19, 1865, two years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation.

One Facebook user left a comment on the post, sharing a photo of the salad that has been circulating around social media, saying that the salad was “perpetuating offensive stereotypes.” The museum replied to the comment, writing, “There should have been a label explaining the history and meaning behind this menu item and it should not have been on the shelf before that label was ready.”

“We understand how this appears with no context and we apologize,” the response continued. “We are pulling it from our food court immediately until the sign is ready to accompany it.”

The museum went on to explain the process and research that goes into the menus that are selected for “special events,” adding, “Watermelon, along with other red foods, are a staple of Juneteenth Celebrations, including our food court manager’s family Juneteenth celebrations.”

The sign also quoted Brooklyn-based journalist Natelege Whaley.

“Red is a color that evokes cultural memory of bloodshed by our enslaved ancestors through the transatlantic slave trade,” the label quoted. Whaley told TODAY Food she was not affiliated with the project and the quote used was actually from a story she’d written — but the quote was said by someone else.

“This was actually from an interview I did with culinary historian and author Adrian Miller. The quote is attributed to him in my article,” she said. “I have never positioned myself as Black food historian or an expert on Juneteenth, which is why I interviewed Miller for this article.”

She added that she did not give the museum permission to use any quotes from her and “would never given the circumstances.”

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“The traditions have deep meaning and it is irresponsible for companies to commodify them and then seek to justify it through the use of a quote, that isn’t even correct, from my article after receiving backlash,” she wrote in an email.

By Monday morning, it appeared the museum had removed the photo of the label with the incorrect quote from Whaley.

In the comments of the post, people lambasted the label and the museum’s choice to sell the salad.

“So why couldn’t this be a Strawberry salad? Y’all knew EXACTLY what you were doing. When have you ever seen Black people post their watermelon salad?” asked Nia Marie. “I’m over ‘allies’ explaining their intent. At no point can you actually say NO ONE saw this as a possible bad idea before you did it.”

“This is a children museum correct? What exactly are you teaching our children about our Juneteenth history exactly?” Erica Alyce wrote. “African Americans eat watermelon? Very very distasteful and disrespectful me and my children will not be (coming) to this museum we will go where we are celebrated the right way.”

Walmart recently faced its own criticism when customers accused the retailer of trying to commercialize the holiday by selling Juneteenth-themed ice cream among other merchandise, including clothing, utensils, and decorations.

“We are reviewing our assortment and will remove items as appropriate,” Walmart said in a statement to TODAY. “Juneteenth holiday marks a commemoration and celebration of freedom and independence. However, we received feedback that a few items caused concern for some of our customers and we sincerely apologize.”

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In a statement sent to NBCNews, Walmart said, “Juneteenth holiday marks a commemoration and celebration of freedom and independence. However, we received feedback that a few items caused concern for some of our customers and we sincerely apologize. We are reviewing our assortment and will remove items as appropriate.”

The flavor was part of Walmart’s special edition commemorating June 19, the newest federal holiday, which recognizes the official end of slavery and the celebration of Black culture. Many criticized the gesture as a form of cultural appropriation.

In photos circulating online, the ice cream’s container has green, yellow and red accents and says, “Share and celebrate African-American culture, emancipation and enduring hope.” The ice cream is also available in a swirled red velvet and cheesecake flavor.

Some on Twitter also pointed out that the special edition ice cream was similar to a flavor called “Right as Rain Red Velvet Cheesecake,” released by Creamalicious, a national ice cream brand owned by Liz Rogers, a Black chef. Walmart has not responded to the allegations.

Read the full story on NBCNews.com.

“As the second Black mayor of New York City, I know that I stand on the shoulders of countless heroes and sheroes who put their lives on the line to secure a more perfect union,” Adams said.

Juneteenth, on June 19th, marks the day in 1865, two months after the end of the Civil War and more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation, that enslaved Black people in Texas were told by Union soldiers that they had been freed.

Its profile has risen in the wake of national conversations on racism and inequality, and two years ago, then Mayor Bill de Blasio said it would be “an official city holiday” starting in 2021.

The New York Times first reported that labor negotiations with unions representing city workers had not started in time to designate Juneteenth a holiday last year.

“It’s time for our city to finally do what’s right and officially designate Juneteenth as a city holiday. This decision is long overdue, which is why it will immediately take effect this year,” Adams added.

Juneteenth became a federal holiday last year when signed into law by President Joe Biden, becoming the 12th federal holiday and first new one since Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

New York State will celebrate the holiday for a second time this year. Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed an executive order in Oct. 2020 to make Juneteenth a paid holiday for state employees.