Officially declared a federal holiday in 2021, Juneteenth, celebrated annually on June 19, commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. The holiday commemorates the day in 1865 when enslaved African-Americans in Texas received news of their freedom, two years after President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation.
Here are things to do in the Chattanooga area to celebrate Juneteenth.
— Celebration of freedom The celebration will take place from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Bessie Smith Cultural Center, 200 EML King Blvd. The celebration will include live music, food trucks, children’s activities, a documentary screening and free admission to the museum. For more information, visit bessiesmithcc.org.
— June 19 Parade Participants will begin lining up at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday on Peeples Street. Starting at 1 p.m., the parade will march along ML King Boulevard. A Juneteenth Gala, beginning at 2 p.m. at Miller Park, 928 Market St., will feature live entertainment, food and retail vendors, games and more. To learn more, visit unitygroupchatt.com.
— Discussion Foundation727 E. 11th St., will host a Juneteenth celebration from 1 to 4 p.m. Wednesday. The celebration, serving Chattanooga’s homeless community, will feature performers, food vendors and partner agencies. Learn more at chattfoundation.org.
— June 19 Commemoration Ceremony will take place from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Walker Theatre, 399 McCallie Ave. The ceremony will feature a live performance by Nashville-based Inversion Vocal Ensemble. The event is free, but registration is required. Learn more at blackartsandideasfest.com.
— Oscar Micheaux Film Noir Festival will take place at 6 p.m. Thursday and Friday; location to be announced. Featuring films that promote authentic Black storytelling in front of and behind the camera, the festival will include a screening of the documentary “How to Sue the Klan.” Admission is available. Learn more at blackartsandideasfest.com.
— Alton Park Development Corporation On June 19, the park will host a celebration and ribbon-cutting ceremony from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at the Chattanooga Civic Center in Mountainside, 701 Hooker Road. The ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held at 10 a.m. for the dedication of the African American Education and Heritage Museum, with public tours of the museum’s first phase from 1 to 3 p.m. The celebration will include performances by the Howard Hustling Tigers marching band and dance team and Ghanaian drummer Mawre Kofi. There will also be a petting zoo, pony rides, face painting, food and more. For more information, visit facebook.com/altonparkcdc.
Staff photo by Olivia Ross / The Bryant family enjoys frozen drinks from Tabu Treats at Miller Park on June 19, 2023. A Juneteenth gala will begin at 2 p.m. at Miller Park on Wednesday.— Scratch Your Roots Black Genealogy Society A membership drive and workshop will be held Saturday at noon at the Chattanooga Downtown Public Library, 1001 Broad St. Hosted in partnership with the library’s History and Genealogy Department, the workshop will provide tools for people of African descent to discover where their ancestors came from and cover methods for caring for family treasures such as photographs, diaries and more. For more information, visit blackartsandideasfest.com.
— Legacy Music Festival and Family Game Day will take place Saturday at noon at Miller Park, 928 Market St. This family-friendly festival will feature games, live music, food trucks, Black art and business vendors, and much more. Headliner Kim Thomas will perform at 8 p.m. To learn more, visit blackartsandideasfest.com.
