Over the past year, more and more Americans have come to understand and recognize Juneteenth and its significance to Black people in our country.

What is Juneteenth? 
Juneteenth (a combination of the words “June” and “nineteenth”) is an official national holiday marking the end of slavery. On January 1, 1863 President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation. However, it wasn’t until a full two and a half years later, when Major General Gordon Granger of the Union army read federal orders in the city of Galveston, Texas on June 19, 1865, that all enslaved people in Texas were told they were now free.

As a native Black Texan, I grew up knowing about Juneteenth, its significance to not only Texas and Black history, and celebrating it with my family. 

For those who haven’t celebrated this holiday, here are some events to help you understand and learn more about Juneteenth.

Juneteenth events happening in the Bay Area

• San Francisco Black Film Festival XXXIII 

  • Held over June 17-20, this four-day film festival celebrates African American filmmakers and showcases the African cultural diaspora with a diverse and rich collection of movies. 

• Monument Reckoning Sculptures

  • Held on Friday, June 18 at 5:30 p.m. PT in Golden Gate park, this event honors sculptor Dana King and their work of 350 ancestral sculptures—which represents the first Aficans stolen from their native land and sold into enslavement in 1619.  

• Museum of the African Diaspora Juneteenth Zoom Events: Rock ‘n’ Roll Heretics — Shredding While Black and Female,

  • Join four Black women guitarists sitting down and discussing their perspectives on racism, sexism, ageism, and homophobia through corporate rock, defying cultural and gender expectations in the Black community and lifting up Black Gen Z girl rock musicians. 

• Oakland Lake Merritt Juneteenth Festival

  • A full-day family-friendly event dedicated to celebrating Juneteenth with the Oakland community. 

• Juneteenth at Bayview Opera House

  • The Bayview Opera House is open once again! Closed since the start of the shelter-in-place, the outdoor stage has reopened for this event. The event starts at 12:30 p.m. PT and you can register to attend for free here. Tickets are free, but donations are accepted.

• 40th Juneteenth in the Park Festival

  • Discussing a wide range of topics like health, education, and financial literacy in the Black community, this week-long event brings together a wide range of speakers, musicians, and others to celebrate Juneteenth.