Skip to content
Philly Tips
Link copied to clipboard

5 ways to celebrate Juneteenth around Philly

The 154th anniversary of the first Juneteenth celebration also marks the 400th anniversary of the first recorded slave ship's arrival on the shores of Virginia.

Chi Oriji of the Atlantic City Carnival leads the group in the winin dance during the Juneteenth Parade, recognizing the end of slavery in America, along East Market Street on Saturday, June 23, 2018. YONG KIM / Staff Photographer
Chi Oriji of the Atlantic City Carnival leads the group in the winin dance during the Juneteenth Parade, recognizing the end of slavery in America, along East Market Street on Saturday, June 23, 2018. YONG KIM / Staff PhotographerRead more Yong Kim / File Photograph

In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln officially signed the Emancipation Proclamation, freeing enslaved Africans and African Americans in states rebelling against the Union. But it wouldn’t be until more than two years later, on June 19, 1865, that news of the Civil War’s end reached the enslaved peoples of Galveston, Texas, by way of Union soldiers.

Not only does this year mark the 154th anniversary of that announcement, but it is the 400th anniversary of the first recorded slave ship to arrive on North American shores. Philadelphians are commemorating these two events across the city. Here are nine ways to discover and honor black Americans’ resilience and long fight for freedom over the next week.

Celebrate Juneteenth at this Center City music festival and parade

This marks the fourth year of the rapidly expanding Parade and MusicFest, started by the Pennsylvania Juneteenth Initiative. The celebration begins with the televised parade at noon, with more than 1,800 expected participants. Now on a new route, the parade, which includes local and national groups, leaders, and celebrities starts at 52nd and Jefferson Streets and ends at Malcolm X Park (51st and Pine Street). Beginning at 1 p.m., attendees can see and hear live music, dancing, and spoken word, along with enjoying various eats from food vendors in the park. This year’s event will also include a special ceremony renaming 52nd Street as Muhammad Ali Way.

Noon to 7 p.m., Saturday, June 22, 52nd and Jefferson Streets, free, 267-225-3108, juneteenthphilly.org

Discover the connection between Martin Luther King and Nina Simone in this new play from Dice Raw

Roots-associated rapper Karl “Dice Raw” Jenkins is the writer and producer of this one-night-only re-enactment exploring a civil rights leader’s impact and a singer’s tribute to his work. A collaborative production between New Freedom Theatre and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, The King of Love follows the life and work of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., jumping between his last speech and Nina Simone’s musical tribute to him, which she first performed only three days after his assassination. The event is part of Freedom Theater’s first Juneteenth Festival, which also includes a screening of the award-winning film Isaac Pope on June 23.

7 p.m., Wednesday, June 19, 128 N. Broad St., $30, 888-802-8998, freedomtheatre.org

Go on a gallery tour, make flags, and meet with black Civil War reenactors

Learn about the African Americans who helped make emancipation possible while enjoying music and dance performances during the African American Museum’s daylong Juneteenth celebration. A small group of local re-enactors will bring the Third Regiment U.S. Colored Troops to life through an interactive narrative experience featuring music. For those who prefer their history a little more static, the museum will host a screening of Reconstruction: America After the Civil War. Visitors will also have the chance to go on guided tours of the galleries, listen and watch local drummer Muzikal Dunk, and create individualized versions of the official Juneteenth flag.

10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday, June 19, 701 Arch St., free, 215-574-0380, aampmuseum.org

Learn about quilt making, hear stories, and watch a step performance

This Juneteenth celebration is geared for children with live performances, creative demonstrations, and a special parade. Start the day by exploring the shapes and patterns of quilts using giant tangrams before creating works of art inspired by quilt designs. Later you can see Soul Steps perform the African-American dance tradition of stepping, be part of a special cooking demonstration, and get cozy as you listen to a child-friendly reading of the Emancipation Proclamation. The day will culminate in a musical parade that celebrates freedom.

9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Saturday, June 22, 4231 Avenue of the Republic, $19 admission, 215-581-3181, pleasetouchmuseum.org

Watch drummers, storytellers, and a special choir performance

Back for another year, this two-hour Juneteenth event features a choral performance by the Belmont Charter School Choir and a taped message from the Frederick Douglass Family Initiatives, among other activities. Watch Robert Kenyatta’s African drumming demonstration or listen to his stories about Henry Box Brown, an enslaved man who mailed himself to freedom. Later, hear American Book Award winner Lamont B. Steptoe read from a collection of poems and engage Kathleen Coll, executive director of Dawn’s Place, on the connections between America’s past and present-day slavery, including sex trafficking.

3 to 5 p.m. Wednesday, June 19, 211 S. Christopher Columbus Boulevard, free, 215-413-8655, phillyseaport.org

» READ MORE: Our best Philly tips: Read our most useful stories