Ask A D.C. Native: How do you celebrate Juneteenth?

Juneteenth is a sentimental holiday, and the way native Washingtonians recognize and celebrate it varies. 

Emily S. Goldman, for example, was born at Sibley Hospital on June 19, 1968, “smack-dab in the middle of Solidarity Day of the Poor People’s March on Washington.” She counts it a privilege to be born “on such a momentous day.”

“Not only was it part of a significant social movement MLK had planned but never lived to witness but I knew from a very young age the deeper, older meaning of Juneteenth, and that, too, became a proud fiber in the texture of my being and self-identity,” Goldman says.  

Other D.C. natives have more recently begun using Juneteenth as an opportunity to connect to their history, advocate for their rights, shop Black-owned businesses, and discuss Black joy and resilience with friends and family. 

Juneteenth has been acknowledged mostly in the South and was first recognized as a state holiday in Texas in 1980, where the post-Civil War remembrance began. But it didn’t become a federal holiday until 2021, so many people don’t know exactly what to do or what it even represents.

If that’s you, my advice is to spend the day learning about its history. The D.C. Public Library has a trove of resources, like a Juneteenth archive, books for kids, and upcoming author talks. The National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) has a Juneteenth digital toolkit, recommended reading list, and more for your study session. 

To get you started, here’s a quick lesson: President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, but word — unsurprisingly — did not spread quickly. It wasn’t until June 19, 1865 — more than two years later — that Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, to inform 250,000 still-enslaved Texans that they were free. 

Small pockets of Texans began celebrating Juneteenth in 1886. Now, more than a century later, it's recognized with festivities across the country. 

Because Black people love a good party, there are several always several ways to have fun while learning about the holiday around D.C., including Planet Word’s Juneteenth Literary Jubilee & Black Author Book Fest (today), the Ward 7 Juneteenth parade, the Juneteenth Community Festival at ONE DC's Black Workers & Wellness Center, the Juneteenth Community Celebration at the Anacostia Community Museum, Juneteenth for the City at Bread for the City's Michelle Obama Southeast Center, the Juneteenth Wellness Block Party at Bryant Street Market, the Juneteenth Jubilee and Freedom Walk across the 11th Street Bridge, and Juneteenth Community Day at NMAAHC (Saturday).

For this edition of Ask A D.C. Native, I wanted to learn how fellow D.C. natives mark the holiday, which hopefully inspires our readers to reflect and take part in local Juneteenth happenings. Thanks to everyone who shared. Here are some of their responses: