Pretty much all the American music we enjoy today is the result of the genius of Black communities — and Juneteenth is a precious day on the calendar indeed.
Observed annually on June 19, Juneteenth commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. In 1863, while the Civil War was still raging, president Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which freed more than three million enslaved people living in Confederate states.
Two years later, on June 19, 1865, the news reached African Americans living in Texas — and celebration rang forth. After Texas declared Juneteenth a state holiday in 1980, many other states followed its example — and in 2021, it was declared a national holiday.
With music so intrinsic to the Black experience, and their immeasurable contributions of Black Americans to our global culture, it's natural that many Juneteenth celebrations will be musical in nature.
Here are five free events to enjoy this Juneteenth — in-person and/or virtually.
Juneteenth Freedom Fest NYC\
Virtual, June 13-19
We're right in the middle of this weeklong virtual fest, but there are still three days to enjoy this free, 360° virtual Juneteenth celebration.
The third annual Juneteenth Freedom Fest NYC features panels and fireside chats, virtual performances, trivia, and much more.
A physical iteration will take place on June 17 at the Harlem State Office Building Plaza in Harlem, featuring performances by Nia, Khemestry, Ceddyjay, Noa, and Genique.
Juneteenth At Miller – A Celebration Of Freedom Pt. 1\
Miller Outdoor Theater, Houston, TX, June 16
For a Juneteenth night to remember in the Lone Star state, stop by the Miller Outdoor Theater in Houston on June 16.
Therein, an array of local R&B, blues and hip-hop musicians will perform beloved songs by some of the greatest Black American artists of all time — from Marvin Gaye and Al Green to Whitney Houston and Teena Marie to 2Pac and Biggie.
Juneteenth UNITYFest 2023\
Lena Horne Bandshell, Brooklyn, June 17
Co-presented by the Robert Randolph Foundation, this BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Concert will feature seven-time GRAMMY nominee JOE — as well as an opening performance by Stokley, the ex-leader of fellow GRAMMY nominees Mint Condition.
The showrunners promise "a night of music and storytelling as we celebrate the rich layers of Black history and Black futurity. Chairs are limited, so bring your own if possible.
Juneteenth Jazz Jubilee: Benefit Concert for Music on the Inside \
Adler Hall at the New York Society for Ethical Culture, New York, June 17
Yes, this Juneteenth celebration and benefit concert also takes place in New York City. But if you're not in the area, never fear — livestream tickets are available here.
This "celebration of freedom, resilience, community, and the possibilities of good things to come" promises to unite formerly incarcerated musicians with New York jazz's best and brightest.
These include six-time GRAMMY-winning pianist Arturo O'Farrill, twice-nominated trumpeter Alphonso Horne to the celebrated saxophonist Don Braden, who appears with his Earth, Wind and Wonder Quartet.
To a Garden Luxuriously Verdant (Enameled with Countless Flowerings)\
Lincoln Center, NYC, June 18
Lincoln Center stands where San Juan Hill, a majority Black and Puerto Rican neighborhood, once stood — as they acknowledged with San Juan Hill: A New York Story, a massive multimedia work, to mark the reopening of David Geffen Hall last year.
On June 18, the hallowed institution will continue its elevation of Black history with To a Garden Luxuriously Verdant (Enameled with Countless Flowerings).
Billed as "a site-specific, evening-long multicultural performance commemorating Juneteenth" that "embraces the transformative intensity and power of both color and nature," the event will feature guest appearances from Alicia Hall Moran, Aaron Diehl, and Burnt Sugar the Arkestra Chamber.
Leimert Park Juneteenth Festival \
Leimert Park Village, Los Angeles, June 19
Presented in part by the Recording Academy's Los Angeles Chapter, the Leimert Park Juneteenth Festival will throw a bash to remember — featuring "300 Black-owned businesses, three main stages, two DJ stages, one spoken word stage, and more."
This iteration of the Leimert Park Juneteenth Festival commemorates not only the Emancipation Proclamation proper, but the legacy of Leimert Part as such: four decades ago, Robert Leonard initiated a Juneteenth tradition in the historic neighborhood.
For more information about the Los Angeles Chapter's involvement in Leimert Park Juneteenth Festival, visit here.