Juneteenth – short for June Nineteenth – commemorates the emancipation of enslaved Black Americans in the United States. The Emancipation Proclamation was issued by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863, but the last enslaved Americans weren’t freed until June 19, 1865, when federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas with the news that the Civil War had ended and slavery in the United States was abolished.

Free Texans celebrated “Jubilee Day” in 1866 and the idea of commemorating the end of slavery slowly spread to communities across the rest of the country until Juneteenth was recognized as a federal holiday in 2021. Grand Rapids has been officially marking the occasion before the 1990s. Today, we salute and support events that honor the history, culture and progress of African Americans – and invite you to join in a week of celebration.

Juneteenth Events in Grand Rapids

Friday, June 14

Juneteenth Pride: Silent Disco is a Family Fun Day hosted by the African American Arts and Music Festival in Grand Rapids Public School’s University Park. Enjoy music, resources, free food and fun from 6-8pm.

Freedom of Speeches: 8 Unforgettable Legends is a live performance of powerful speeches from historical figures including Maria Miller Stewart, Bayard Rustin and David Walker. Drinks, refreshments and merchandise will be available. Doors open at 7pm. Repeated on Saturday, June 15.

Saturday, June 15

Loving Day commemorates the anniversary of the historic court decision for interracial marriage. The Grand Rapids Children’s Museum is partnering with the Ebony Road Scholars theatre troupe for a day of education, community and celebration on Sheldon Ave. outside the Museum. 11am-3pm.

GR Stories: Loving Day Celebration brings a panel of prominent Grand Rapids families in relationships legally affirmed by Loving vs. Virginia (1967) to Fountain Street Church to share their stories with the audience. 4pm.

Martin Luther King Jr. Park is the site of the 4th annual Juneteenth Pop-Up Shop featuring a variety of Black-owned businesses. 1-8pm.

Jamaican-American musician Stephen Marley, son of reggae legend Bob Marley, brings his “Old Soul Unplugged” acoustic tour to The Intersection. 8pm start.

Sunday, June 16

Today would be a good day to see Mario Moore: Revolutionary Times at the Grand Rapids Art Museum. The exhibit brings together three recent bodies of work by Detroit artist Mario Moore – one revisiting the role of Black Union Soldiers in the Civil War, one depicting the early history of Black people in Detroit, and a third uncovering the parallel growth of the slave trade and the use of enslaved Black people to transport furs along the Detroit River. Open 10am-4pm.

Enjoy a meal at one (or more) of the city’s Black-Owned Restaurants today (and throughout the year). Forty Acres Soul Kitchen serves great Sunday brunches.

Monday, June 17

Check out more Black art around town today:

  • Download the GR Walks app to take a Black History Tour of Downtown Grand Rapids.
  • See bronze sculptures of Lyman Parks (the city’s first African American mayor), Helen Claytor (first African American president of the local and national YWCAs), Pearl Kendrick (a chemist and lab researcher integral to the development of the life-saving pertussis vaccine) and civil rights pioneer Rosa Parks – all part of the city’s Community Legends Project.
  • Take the self-guided 49507 Project Mural Tour, which highlights the work of Black and Brown artists painted on Black and Brown businesses in a neighborhood that suffered from historical redlining and disinvestment.

Purple Reign: The Music of Prince features local theatre talents interpreting the music of one of the greatest and most prolific musicians of all time. 7pm at Circle Theatre.

Tuesday, June 18

See two local Black music icons in concert at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park: Sixman, winner of the 2024 WYCE Jammie award for best hip-hop album, and Lady Ace Boogie, a longtime fixture in Michigan’s hip-hop scene. The concert is part of the Gardens’ Tuesday Evening Music Club.

Wednesday, June 19

Attend the 4th annual Justice 4 All Juneteenth Jam in Calder Plaza for live music, Black-owned food and business vendors, art showcases, kid’s games and more from 4-10pm.

The Grand Rapids Junior Juneteenth 2024 Dickinson Park Dundunba is a celebration of the American Emancipation Proclamation in Garfield Park from noon-7pm.

The “Block Party” Juneteenth Screening invites you watch the made-in-Grand Rapids movie about a Juneteenth family celebration for free at Wealthy Theatre. The film is preceded by festivities in the Wealthy Theatre parking lot. 5pm-9pm.

Thursday, June 20

Black History Trivia Night at NIA Centre, Grand Rapids’ African American Cultural Center, is a chance to show off your knowledge and learn something new. 6-7:30pm.

BLKBOK, whose critically acclaimed debut album Black Book served as a founding cornerstone at the very first Juneteenth Foundation’s Freedom Concert, comes to Midtown with his high-energy, culturally reflective live show. Doors open at 6pm for the 7:30pm show.

Friday, June 21

Visit the Grand Rapids African American Museum & Archives, an invaluable community resource showcasing the unique historical and cultural contributions of local African Americans and people of color to our region and the world.

The Four Star Theatre presents Black Cowboy: A Celebration of Black Country Music, complete with DJ-spun tunes, line dancing lessons, mechanical bull riding and a gallery of Black country music legends. 8pm-midnight.

Saturday, June 22

The On the Block Black Family Reunion is a Juneteenth event including a 3-on-3 basketball event, double Dutch contest, board games, food trucks, arts and crafts, life music and more. Noon-8pm.

Five-time Grammy Award-wining jazz pianist, songwriter, producer and arranger Robert Glasper performs at GLC Live at 20 Monroe. 7pm.