Juneteenth, officially Juneteenth National Independence Day, also known as Freedom Day, Jubilee Day, and Liberation Day celebrates the emancipation of those who had been enslaved in the United States. Juneteenth commemorates the day in 1865 when the Union arrived in Galveston, Texas to enforce the emancipation of enslaved people in Texas (almost 3 years after the declaration of the Emancipation Proclamation). The holiday Juneteenth, which is observed on June 19, has long been celebrated in Black communities across the U.S., and there has been a continued push for wider recognition of the day.

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam made Juneteenth an official observance, and the general assembly in October 2020 voted to make it an official state holiday.  This year June 19 falls on a Saturday, and the state will observe the day on Friday, June 18, giving state employees a paid holiday. Take time to check out the information and attend a Juneteenth event near you.

In observation of Juneteenth, a few ways the Northern Virginia area will be celebrating listed below are:

• Fairfax County

  Celebrate Freedom-Juneteenth at Frying Pan Farm Park

  June 19, 2021, 11am-2pm
  Frying Pan Farm Park is located at 2709 West Ox Road in Herndon, Virginia. For more information, call 703-437-9101; or visit Frying Pan Farm Park.

• The City of Alexandria

  The Alexandria Black History Museum and Historic Alexandria

  Our People: A Juneteenth Story
  Washington Revels Jubilee Voices
  
  June 19, 2021, 2 – 3 p.m.
  Free Concert on Zoom
  Register here
  The Washington Revels Jubilee Voices (WRJV) ensemble is committed to the preservation of African American history and traditions — presenting songs and stories of struggle and perseverance, trials, and triumphs, as expressed through a cappella music, drama, and dance. This concert will feature WRJV singing at sites important to Alexandria’s African American history, blending history with performance. Established in 2010, the group now performs regularly throughout the Washington D.C. area, singing, sharing, and learning the stories of the people in those communities.

• Prince William County

  Juneteenth at Lucasville
  Lucasville School 
  June 19, 2021, 10516 Godwin Drive, Manassas, VA 2011
  Time: 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM
  Price: Free, donations welcome
  Join us at Lucasville in honor of Juneteenth to learn about the celebration marking the emancipation of enslaved African Americans throughout the South. Visit the one-room schoolhouse to learn about the development of freedmen communities throughout Prince William County and the progression of education throughout Prince William County throughout Reconstruction and the Jim Crow Era.

• Loudoun

  Juneteenth Celebration 2021
  Featuring: The Chuck Brown Band
  60 Ida Lee Dr, NW, Leesburg, VA 20176
  (703) 593-4673
  Dates: June 19, 2021
  Time: 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM
  Location: Ida Lee Park Recreation Center
  Price: $5 per person/ $25 per tent
  Visit Website