The City of Beaumont is excited to announce that this year’s Juneteenth Celebration will be held from 4-9 p.m. on Sunday, June 19 on Main Street in downtown Beaumont.
Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States.
This year’s Juneteenth Celebration features live music, including Original Lakeside, Keeshea Pratt, the Golden Triangle All Star Band and DJ Upgrayedd. There will also be a car show, a BBQ cook-off, fireworks and more.
Although U.S. president Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation on Jan. 1, 1863, it wasn’t until two and a half years later that the word of freedom was made known in Texas.
On June 19, 1865, Union soldiers led by Major General Gordan Granger landed in Galveston and announced the good news. According to historian James Smallwood, an estimated 250,000 enslaved people in Texas were already free, they just did not know it. In fact, many enslavers deliberately suppressed the information until after the harvest.
Juneteenth is a day to reflect on the past and observe liberty. It is a time to remain mindful of the work that needs to be done by all Americans to promote equality and justice for all,
according to the Office of Diversity and Inclusion.
“Juneteenth is a vital part of the state of Texas history, in particular Galveston, where orders to inform the Lone Star state that slavery was outlawed was received but disregarded until in most cases after the completion of harvest season,” said Dr. Wilma Jackson, director of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion. “(Juneteenth) is a reminder to not delay freedom and justice and value the inherent worth and dignity of every person through fostering tolerance, sensitivity, understanding and mutual respect. We encourage you to celebrate and educate yourself on the importance of this day in U.S. history.”
Admission to the Juneteenth Celebration is free and open to the public.
For more information about the local event, visit
beaumonteventstx.com/juneteenth/.