Western New York has a deep connection to the end of slavery in the United States. With its role in the Underground Railroad, our region aided enslaved people in their movement to freedom, at a point in time where this injustice was still very prevalent in the South. It was not until executive action was taken, that slavery would be put to an end in the U.S. In doing so, Juneteenth was born.
“Juneteenth (short for “June Nineteenth”) marks the day when federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas in 1865 to take control of the state and ensure that all enslaved people be freed. The troops’ arrival came a full two and a half years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. Juneteenth honors the end to slavery in the United States and is considered the longest-running African American holiday. On June 17, 2021, it officially became a federal holiday.”
– History.com, Elizabeth Nix, “What is Juneteenth?”
To celebrate Juneteenth, here’s a list of events happening this month that honor and further the enrichment of our Black community here in WNY:
Did we miss one? Did one of these events get cancelled? Send us a note!
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