'Promote equality, liberty and justice for all people': Things to do for Juneteenth in central PA
Jasmine Vaughn-HallJuneteenth is on Saturday, June 19.
It has been nearly two years since Gov. Tom Wolf declared June 19 Juneteenth National Freedom Day in Pennsylvania.
“This is a moment to honor African American history and reflect on how each of us can promote equality, liberty and justice for all people,” Wolf said in a news release.
What is Juneteenth?
On June 19, 1865, Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger informed a reluctant community in Galveston, Texas, that President Abraham Lincoln had freed enslaved Americans in rebel states two and a half years earlier. He pressed locals to comply with the directive.
Although Lincoln proclaimed the emancipation of slaves, effective Jan. 1, 1863, slave owners were responsible for telling their slaves that they were free, and some ignored the order until Union troops arrived to enforce it, according to Cliff Robinson, founder of Juneteenth.com. Texas was the last Confederate state to have the proclamation announced.
Though the story of Texas' emancipation is the most widely known, Steve Williams, president of the National Juneteenth Observance Foundation said, other significant events in the history of emancipation took place on and around that date. He said the first known Juneteenth celebrations began in 1866 and spread across the country as African Americans migrated to new cities.
After a year of racial reckoning and navigating a pandemic, more Juneteenth events seem to be happening in 2021.
Juneteenth events in central Pa.
York
Campus Park celebration:
When: Saturday, June 19, 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: Campus Park at Voni Grimes Gym 125 E College Ave.
What: The free, all-inclusive event will have music, art, dancing, vendors, networking, community resources and more.
Union Lutheran Church celebration:
When: Saturday, June 19, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Where: Union Lutheran Church, 408 West Market St.
What: The block party will offer free food, music, arts, history, free clothing, access to the food pantry, games and more.
Celebrating Juneteenth!
When: Exhibits are open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, June 19.
Where: Historical Society Museum inside the York County History Center, 250 E. Market St.
What: Guided exhibit talks will be given by Ophelia Chambliss from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Lancaster
When: Saturday, June 19, 12 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Where: Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology, 750 East King St., Lancaster, PA 17602
What: Cars should line up at 12 p.m. with window paint or other decorations for the caravan starting at the Thaddeus Steven College S. Broad St. Parking Lot. The caravan will begin at 12:40 p.m. and Spice of Life 4th Annual Cookout is at the end of the route.
Carlisle
Carlisle Hope Station Celebration:
When: Saturday, June 19, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Where: Memorial Park 149 West Penn St., Carlisle, 17013
What:Carlisle Hope Station is hosting a celebration that includes music, resource vendors, ice cream, and COVID-19 vaccinations by Sadler Health Center.
Chambersburg
Juneteenth Love Demonstration:
When: Saturday, June 19 at 10 a.m. Rain date Sunday, June 20.
Where: Chambersburg Square located at 100 Lincoln Way East, Chambersburg, PA 17201
What: Juneteenth Love Demonstration is being coordinated by Racial Reconciliation and registrants are encouraged to wear masks, bring chalk, and to wear the demonstration T-shirt with jeans. For questions, contact Marvin Worthy at 717-658-6015 or Linda Thomas Worthy at 570-220-3917
Did we miss any events? Please reach out to Jasmine Vaughn-Hall at jvaughnhal@ydr.com.
Jasmine Vaughn-Hall is a reporter for the USA Today Network in central Pennsylvania. Contact her at jvaughnhal@ydr.com or (717) 495-1789. Follow her on Facebook (@JasmineVaughnHall), Twitter (@jvaughn411), and Instagram (@jasminevaughnhall).