Milwaukee will mark its 53rd annual Juneteenth observance on Wednesday, June 19. This celebration is one of the longest-running in the country. Juneteenth commemorates when U.S. troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, on June 19, 1865, to enforce the Emancipation Proclamation, which ended slavery for African Americans.
The first official Juneteenth celebrations took place in Texas the following year. Over the next decade, family gatherings, prayer events, educational activities, and festivals emerged nationwide. In 2021, President Joe Biden signed legislation making Juneteenth a federal holiday, formally known as Juneteenth National Independence Day.
In Milwaukee, one way to celebrate is by attending the Jubilee Parade on the city’s north side. The parade starts at 9:00 a.m. at N. 14th St. and W. Atkinson Ave., proceeding down N. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive to W. Locust St. TMJ4 will broadcast the parade until it concludes around 11:00 a.m., featuring participants from the Milwaukee Brewers, Milwaukee Bucks, Green Bay Packers, and Marquette University’s men’s basketball team.
The festival continues along King Drive from Concordia Ave. to Center St., with over 450 vendors offering children’s activities and food options until 4:00 p.m. The city’s Juneteenth celebration attracts tens of thousands each year.
Supporting Black-owned businesses is another way to observe Juneteenth. The MKE Black organization provides a business directory listing restaurants, shops, services, and more.
Banks and the U.S. Postal Service will be closed for the federal holiday, as will City of Milwaukee services and Milwaukee Public Schools offices.
For more information about Milwaukee’s celebration, visit juneteenthmilwaukee.com or learn more about Juneteenth at juneteenth.com.
