Slavery officially ended in 1863, but it wasn’t until June 19, 1865, that freedom found its way to the last enslaved people in Galveston, Texas. That date has since become the national holiday known as Juneteenth, and while many cities hold festivals and parades to mark it, these seven events across the South offer unique opportunities to celebrate and reflect.
Juneteenth Bike Tour
Saturday, June 21, Greensboro, North Carolina
Education and exercise come together in this guided tour hosted by the Greensboro History Museum in collaboration with Bicycling in Greensboro. Participants of all ages will embark on a two-mile ride past seminal protest sites, including those of the 1937 Carolina Theatre boycott and the 1960 Woolworth sit-ins, and learn about the city’s rich civil rights history one pedal stroke at a time.
Second Annual East-West Classic
Thursday, June 19, Birmingham
Major League Baseball returns to its roots at Rickwood Field, America’s oldest professional ballpark, to honor the legacy of the Negro Leagues. The five-inning exhibition will feature a noon home‑run derby and appearances by retired MLB legends like Hall of Famer C.C. Sabathia and All-Star Chris Young.
Juneteenth Day of Service
Saturday, June 21, Shreveport, Louisiana
The Power Coalition for Equity and Justice will host a day of service at Shreveport Green Urban Farm, where volunteers will spend the morning beautifying that green space and other local gardens in the city. A DJ will bring the fun, while hotdogs and hamburgers will provide the fuel.
Juneteenth Celebration at the High
Thursday, June 19, Atlanta
Atlanta’s High Museum of Art will host a free Juneteenth celebration filled with creative, hands-on workshops (think flag-making and button design), live music, and poetry performances. The museum’s galleries will be open, and pop-ups from local businesses will offer books, vinyl, food, and more. Anchored by themes of self-determination and freedom, the day highlights art’s role in Black cultural resistance.
Living Legacies: A Juneteenth Commemoration
Thursday, June 19–Saturday, June 21, Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston’s Magnolia Plantation and Gardens will hold a three-day tribute to the enduring resilience and contributions of the Black community in Charleston and beyond. On the evening of June 19, Mother Emanuel shooting survivor Polly Sheppard will share her story and reflections on finding light in the midst of tragedy, and author Margaret Seidler and artist John W. Jones will be on hand to discuss their book, “Payne-ful” Business: Charleston’s Journey to Truth. Saturday’s programming includes family-friendly performances by Inalienable Rights, a group of historians who bring the stories of the enslaved to life through spoken word, cooking demonstrations, and more. The weekend will close with a gathering that honors the lives of those once enslaved on the land.
The SAAACAM Negro Motorist Green Book Civil Rights Tour
Thursday, June 19, San Antonio
During the Jim Crow era, The Negro Motorist Green Book made Black travel possible by highlighting safe and welcoming places to stop. San Antonio alone had over eighty featured sites, and a bus tour from the San Antonio African American Community Archive and Museum offers a guided trip through some of those landmarks—including Denver Heights, Dignowity Hill, and St. Paul Square. Explore these historic safe havens from the seat of a mobile classroom.
Juneteenth Community Day at the NMAAM
Thursday, June 19, Nashville
Nashville’s National Museum of African American Music is opening its doors to visitors for a full day of free events—live performances that honor Black musical heritage, interactive exhibits, a documentary screening about Nashville’s Metro Human Relations Commission, and a panel discussion about Juneteenth and modern-day efforts against injustice.
