HAMPTON ROADS, Va. - People in Hampton Roads are coming together to celebrate an important part of American history.
Juneteenthis the oldest known commemoration of the end of slavery in the United States. Celebrated on June 19, it marks the day in 1865 that enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, the last of the former Confederate states to abolish slavery, finally heard that the Civil War had ended, and learned that the Emancipation Proclamation had made them free nearly two years earlier.
In 2020, Virginia acknowledged Juneteenth with a written proclamation. Former Gov. Ralph Northam said it is time we elevate the holiday so it is celebrated by everyone.
In October of that year, Virginia lawmakers unanimously passed legislation officially making it a state holiday.
MyActiveChild.com hasput together a list of Juneteenth events that will be happening in our area this year. You can see the complete list below:
Chesapeake
When: Saturday, June 18 from 12-6 p.m.
Juneteenth Father’s Day Festival
When: Sunday, June 18 beginning at 1 p.m.
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Hampton
Juneteenth Festival - Celebrating Freedom, All Fathers and All Families
Where: Darling Stadium
When: Sunday, June 19 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Faith-Walk Juneteenth Celebration 2022: Still Walking
Where: Mill Point Park
When: Sunday, June 19 from 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Hampton African American Heritage Festival
Where: Mill Point Park
When: Saturday, June 25 from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Free concert at Fort Monroe Theatre
Where: Fort Monroe Theatre
When: Saturday, June 18 at 6 p.m.
Freedom Forward
Where: Virtual event on 400 Years of African American History Commission website
When: Sunday, June 19 at 3 p.m.
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Where: Newport News Community Centers
When: June 8-19
Where: Midtown Community Center
When: Tuesday, June 14 from 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Where: Denbigh Community Center
When: Wednesday, June 15 from 6:30-8 p.m.
Where: Downing-Gross Cultural Arts Center
When: Thursday, June 16 from 7-9 p.m.
Juneteenth Mime: The Faces of Freedom
Where: The Mariner’s Museum
When: Friday, June 17 from 7-9 p.m.
Juneteenth Youth Field and Games
Where: Riverview Farm Park
When: Saturday, June 18 from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Where: Virtual
When: Saturday, June 18 from 7-8:30 p.m.
Feeding 5000 Juneteenth Celebration
Where: New Beech Grove Baptist Church, 361 Beechmont Drive
When: 12 p.m.
Chic A Sea and Jay’s Catering are providing hearty meals to-go, which will be individually packed, for the event. People who attend the event only need to bring their appetite because the meals will be free while supplies last.
Where: King-Lincoln Park
When: Sunday, June 19 from 12-4 p.m.
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Norfolk
Frederick Douglass: On Slavery & Emancipation with Norfolk Public Library
Where: Virtual
When: Saturday, June 18 at 8 a.m.
Where: Chrysler Museum
When: Saturday, June 18 from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
2nd Annual Juneteenth in the Park
When: Saturday, June 18 from 12-5 p.m.
Where: Richard A. Tucker Memorial Library
When: Saturday, June 18 from 12-4 p.m.
Where: Slover Library
When: Saturday, June 18 from 1-5:30 p.m.
Celebrate Juneteenth with Storyteller Eunice Shands with Norfolk Public Library
Where: Virtual (Online)
When: Saturday, June 18 at 2 p.m.
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Portsmouth
When: Friday, June 17 from 5-10 p.m.; Saturday, June 18 from 12-6 p.m. and Sunday, June 19 from 3-6 p.m.
When: Sunday, June 19 from 1-9 p.m.
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Suffolk
Juneteenth Black Excellence Expo
When: Saturday, June 18 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Juneteenth Local Author Talk: V.M. Roberts and Jeanice Thomas at Morgan Memorial Library
When: Thursday, June 23 at 6 p.m.
Black Health & Wellness: Looking Back to Find the Path Forward
Where: Virtual
When: Thursday, June 16 from 12-1:30 p.m.
WebEx Live! Juneteenth! with Virginia Beach Public Library
Where: Virtual
When: Thursday, June 16 from 4-4:45 p.m.
#ThirdThursday Virginia Beach Public Art Walk: “Portraits from a Place of Grace”
When: Thursday, June 16 from 4-6 p.m.
Unity in the Community ArtWalk Along the Boardwalk
When: June 16 -19
VBGIGS Presents Juneteenth in the ViBe Creative District
When: Saturday, June 18 beginning at 9 a.m.
When: Saturday, June 18 from 12-10 p.m. and Sunday, June 19 from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
African American Music Month Celebrating Juneteenth
When: Sunday, June 19 from 3:30 – 5 p.m.
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York County
Juneteenth Celebration with Virginia Beach Public Library
Where: Virtual
When: Saturday, June 18 from 5-8:30 p.m.
Do you know of an event that's not on this list? Let us know and email it to takingaction@wtkr.com.
Related: Juneteenth: NSU's Roberts Center and the journey to 'true freedom'
