Juneteenth - Things To Do NYC

Juneteenth Things to do in NYC, Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx & Staten Island

June 17, 2024 / Things To Do NYC / Holidays, Parades & Ethnic Culture / Gotham Buzz.

Over the past ten years or so, interest and awareness of Juneteenth has grown fast. Juneteenth commemorates American slaves obtaining their freedom on June 19, 1865 in Texas, when Major General Gordon Granger ordered the final enforcement of the Emancipation Proclamation, wherein President Abraham Lincoln officially freed the slaves effective January 1, 1863. Unlike today, word didn't travel so fast, and in the Confederate states, the white slave owners did their best to keep the slaves from learning of Lincoln's Executive Order. Juneteenth is a word blend denoting June [nine]teenth. President Biden declared Juneteenth a federal holiday on June 17, 2021, taking effect immediately and in time for folks to first celebrate the holiday two days later, on June 19th, 2021.

In the photo at right is John Watusi, who was a Founder and the Executive Director of the Afrikan Poetry Theatre in years gone by [now deceased]. John was a poet and a civil rights activist who recognized, along with others, the important role that history and culture play in people's lives. So, while Juneteenth is a celebration of an African American liberation day, it is also a celebration of African American culture.

This year NYC Mayor Adams cited a number of NYC cultural and historical sites and tours related to Juneteenth and the African American experience in NYC. In an OpEd he penned and we published Monday, you'll find links to some of the sites and tours he references of interest. Click here to read recent OpEds and Editorials on Gotham Buzz NYC.

Juneteenth Historic Sites in NYC - Brooklyn, Manhattan & Online

Here are a couple of African American Historical Sites in NYC, some of which are referenced in the Mayor's OpEd. Brooklyn Juneteenth Historic Sites - Juneteenth Grove at Cadman Plaza in Downtown Brooklyn. It's there 24/7. Manhattan Juneteenth Historic Sites - African Burial Ground - located at Elk and Duane Streets just a block north of City Hall in downtown Manhattan. Online Juneteenth Historic Sites - African American Landmarks and Historic District Interactive Map & Seneca Village Online - created by the Landmarks Preservation Committee.

• CLICK here to view the rest of our report about things to do on Juneteenth NYC - Juneteenth Events.

Juneteenth - Things To Do NYC

Juneteenth Things to do in NYC, Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx & Staten Island

June 17, 2024 / Things To Do NYC / Holidays, Parades & Ethnic Culture / Gotham Buzz. Continued.

Juneteenth Events in Queens, Brooklyn, Bronx, Manhattan & Staten Island NYC

The following are a few of the Juneteenth events going on in NYC during Juneteenth week(s), including a few of which are coming over the upcoming weekend, which we'll include in the weekend post on Friday.

Juneteenth Queens _ Friday, June 14, 2024 from 1 to 4 pm - The Ingramettes / First Family of Gospel - at Flushing Town Hall at 137-35 Northern Blvd in Flushing Queens. For $20 tickets and details, copy & paste - https://flushingtownhall.org/

Juneteenth Queens _ Saturday, June 15, 2024 from 1 to 4 pm - Reopening & Juneteenth Celebration - at the Louis Latimer House at 3441 37th Street in Flushing Queens. Louis Latimer was a scientist who worked for Thomas Edison as an inventor, patent expert and chief draftsman at a time when African Americans were treated as second class citizens or worse. For details, copy & paste - https://www.lewislatimerhouse.org

Juneteenth Brooklyn _ Saturday, June 15, 2024 from 1 to 4 pm - Juneteenth at Green-wood Cemetery - at the main entrance at 500 25th Street in Brooklyn. For details and tickets see - https://www.green-wood.com

Juneteenth Staten Island _ Sunday, June 16, 2024 from 11 am to 4 pm - Juneteenth Celebration - at 441 Clarke Avenue in Historic Richmond Town on Staten Island. A re-enactment of General Order #3 in Galveston, Texas in 1865 and other events. For details and $15 tickets see - https://www.historicrichmondtown.org

Juneteenth Bronx _ Tuesday, June 18, 2024 beginning at 12 noon - Juneteenth Flag Raising Ceremony - at Borough Hall at 851 Concourse in the Concourse neighborhood of the Bronx. For details contact - https://bronxboropres.nyc.gov

Juneteenth Manhattan _ Wednesday, June 19, 2024 from 11 am to 12.30 pm - Broadway Celebrates Juneteenth - at Times Square at 42nd Street and Broadway. Free. For details and tickets see - https://www.

Juneteenth Manhattan _ Wednesday, June 19, 2024 beginning at 7 pm - Invisible Figures - at the United Palace at 4140 Broadway in Washington Heights Manhattan. They describe the film as follows, "... Meet the women you don’t know, behind the mission you do. Celebrate Juneteenth at the United Palace with this hit 2016 biographical drama that follows the true story of a team of female African American mathematicians who served a vital role in NASA during the early years of the U.S. space program ...". For $5 tickets and details, copy & paste - https://unitedpalace.boletosexpress.com/hidden-figures/76337/

Juneteenth Brooklyn - Thursday, June 20, 2024 from 4.30 to 5.30 pm - Tour of Plymouth Church - at 75 Hicks Street [enter at 57 Orange]. Plymouth Church is described as follows, "... has a rich history of fighting against slavery and where many runaway slaves passed through on the Underground Railroad. On February 10, 1963, the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke at Plymouth and gave a speech called “The American Dream.”...". The tour is being managed by the nearby FDNY station, and you must rsvp by 6/17/24 as there are only 25 spaces available on the tour. Rsvp at - diversity.inclusion@fdny.nyc.gov. For details see - https://ufanyc.org/event/juneteenth-tour-of-plymouth-church/

Juneteenth Manhattan _ Saturday, June 22, 2024 from 4 to 8 pm - Juneteenth Black Music & Dance Festival - at the Richard Rodgers Amphitheater in Marcus Garvey Park in Harlem. Free. For details and tickets see - https://www.

Juneteenth Staten Island _ Saturday, June 22, 2024 from 12 noon to 6 pm - Juneteenth Freedom Festival - at Snug Harbor at 1000 Richmond Terrace in the Randall Manor neighborhood of Staten Island. Numerous activities for all ages. Free. For details, copy & paste - https://snug-harbor.org

Juneteenth Staten Island _ May 10 to June 30, 2024 - An Illustrated History of Negro Baseball Leagues - at Historic Richmond Town on Staten Island. For details and tickets see - https://www.historicrichmondtown.org

Have a Happy Juneteenth, and stay free, by making sure to vote against all wannabe dictators.