Juneteenth

How to Celebrate Juneteenth in Atlanta

Juneteenth, also known as Emancipation Day or Freedom Day, is celebrated on June 19 in the United States to commemorate the day Union Gen. Gordon Granger and Union soldiers told enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, that they were free. It was June 19, 1865, more than two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation on Jan. 1, 1863.

In Atlanta and across the country, businesses and communities are honoring the cultural and historical importance of Juneteenth with educational events and programming, parades and holidays. It is the only holiday that commemorates the emancipation of enslaved Africans throughout the United States. As the heartbeat of the American civil rights movement and home of many civil rights activists including Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Coretta Scott King and U.S. Rep. John Lewis, Atlanta is responding to the call to reflect Black history with the following events:

Things to do on Juneteenth in Atlanta

Atlanta Civil Rights
Credit: @kentwjohnson Kent W. Johnson

Celebrating Juneteenth in Atlanta

Friends and families look forward to gathering and celebrating African Americans’ Freedom Day. The annual Juneteenth parade sparks excitement at Centennial Olympic Park and for the tenth year, Atlanta History Center continues to bring awareness by hosting special programs and events.

Atlanta Influences Everything's mission is to preserve and share the culture of Atlanta.

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Atlanta Hammonds House Museum
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