8th Annual Juneteenth Celebration

DATE: June 19, 2020

TIME: 5:00 PM - 2:30 AM

COST: free

VENUE: National A. Philip Randolph Pullman Porter Museum

ADDRESS: 10406 S Maryland Ave (Entrance at 817 East 104th street)

Hosted by The Black Mall, all residents in Chicago are invited to celebrate Juneteenth.  This event is a car caravan so that you can safely social distance while participating in the festivities.

The Juneteenth Caravan will kick off at the New Mount Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Church, passing through historic Chicago neighborhoods and sites, and culminating at the National A. Philip Randolph Pullman Porter Museum.

Hop in your car, grab your red black and green gear and let's show the city what it means to be Free!

Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration commemorating the ending of slavery in the United States. Dating back to 1865, it was on June 19th that the Union soldiers, led by Major General Gordon Granger, landed at Galveston, Texas with news that the war had ended and that the enslaved were now free. Note that this was two and a half years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation - which had become official January 1, 1863. The Emancipation Proclamation had little impact on the Texans due to the minimal number of Union troops to enforce the new Executive Order. However, with the surrender of General Lee in April of 1865, and the arrival of General Granger’s regiment, the forces were finally strong enough to influence and overcome the resistance.