Juneteenth 2021: How North Jersey Will Celebrate The Holiday

NORTH JERSEY — Although Juneteenth has only been recognized as a federal holiday since Thursday, much of North Jersey was already prepared to celebrate. Juneteenth, held annually on June 19, celebrates the end of slavery in the United States and the date many slaves in Texas finally found out they were free.

Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the end of the institution of chattel slavery in the United States. It is “a day, a week, and in some areas a month marked with celebrations, guest speakers, picnics and family gatherings,” according to juneteenth.com. In recent years, Juneteenth “commemorates African-American freedom and emphasizes education and achievement."

Here are some events in North Jersey:

Juneteenth Festival

Carver Park, 294 Second St., Hackensack

The City of Hackensack hosts its first Juneteenth festival from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. The event, featuring games and entertainment, will include a 10 a.m. flag ceremony. Find out more here.

Juneteenth Ride

Trek Bicycle Edgewater, 14 Edgewater Towne Center, Edgewater

A bike ride celebrating emancipation will go from Trek Bicycle Edgewater to 125th Street Pier in Harlem, where they'll meet more riders. Cyclists will stop at Black-owned businesses along the way. Find out more here.

Juneteenth Celebration, Jersey City

North Field, Liberty State Park (200 Morris Pesin Dr., Jersey City)

One of the area's largest Juneteenth celebrations is now sold out. The event will feature music, food and entertainment. Find out more here.

African Cultural Arts Family Festival

Berry Lane Park, 1000 Garfield Ave., Jersey City

Another Jersey City celebration. The African Cultural Arts Committee will commemorate the holiday and celebrate the African diaspora. A parent must accompany children during the festival event. Find out more here.

Juneteenth Events at Fleet Feet

Various locations, Montclair

Fleet Feet has hosted commemorative events all week and will conclude with three on Juneteenth: the Montclair Black History 5K or 7 Mile Run and Walk, the Juneteenth Jubilee, and a third event with a performance, film screening and panel display. Find out more here.

Community Day: Juneteenth at the Newark Museum of Art

49 Washington St., Newark

The museum will explore the significance of the holiday with a deep dive into history, which will include a virtual live walking tour and a panel discussion. Find out more here.

Movies in the Park: Juneteenth Edition

Ivy Hill Park, Mt. Vernon Place and Seton Hall University, Newark

Newark's Movies in the Park will screen "Judas and the Black Messiah." Bring a blanket or lawn chair. COVID-19 vaccinations will be available for those interested. Find out more here.

Into the Light - Opening Juneteenth Event

Artist Baker, 16 Cattano Ave., Morristown

Art in the Atrium presents its 29th annual exhibition and sale of Black fine art. The program begins at 4 p.m. Attend in-person or watch via Zoom, and meet and greet featured artist Rosalind Nzinga Nichol. Find out more here.

Juneteenth is held on June 19 because that was the date in 1865 when Union Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, to announce that the Civil War had ended and all slaves were free. Many of the slaves in Texas had not known of President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, which had actually given them freedom more than two years earlier.

Granger read “General Order No. 3,” which stated, “The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves,” according to the city of Galveston, which has an historical marker for its connection to the holiday.

Henry Louis Gates Jr., a Harvard University professor and African American historian, wrote in The Root magazine that Juneteenth is “an occasion for gathering lost family members, measuring progress against freedom and inculcating rising generations with the values of self-importance and racial uplift.”
Most states have Juneteenth listed as an official holiday, although it is not a national holiday. In 1980, Texas became the first state to designate Juneteenth as a holiday. In the time since, 45 other states have decided to officially recognize the day, according to The New York Times.

Juneteenth celebrations have occurred in most states, according to Juneteenth.com. A number of cities and towns held events and parades for the 150th anniversary in 2015.

Also On Patch: What Is Juneteenth? 5 Things To Know About The Holiday

More and more places, such as Anne Arundel County, Maryland, are recognizing Juneteenth as an official holiday. County offices will be closed on Friday, June 18, in observance of the Saturday holiday this year, and Annapolis will host Maryland’s first Juneteenth festival with a parade through the state capital.

"Celebrating Juneteenth as an official county holiday demonstrates our county's true commitment to freedom and equality — for all," Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman said in a statement. "The growing national push for observance of Juneteenth is an important step as we move forward toward justice for this community, in light of centuries of racism, discrimination, and inequity."

Some major American brands — Twitter, Nike and the National Football League, included — have made Juneteenth a paid company holiday.