The New 411
By Raymond Ward
The DuSable Museum of African American History will celebrate “Juneteenth” during the Juneteenth Family Freedom Day on Saturday, June 15, 2019, from 12:00 Noon until 4:00 p.m. The event is designed to reflect on and celebrate “Juneteenth,” also known as African American Freedom Day, and will take place at the Museum located at 740 East 56th Place (57th Street and South Cottage Grove Avenue) in Chicago.
“Juneteenth” is the oldest known celebration commemorating the ending of slavery in the United States. Dating back to 1865, it was on June 19 that the Union soldiers, led by Major General Gordon Granger, landed at Galveston, Texas with news that the war had ended and that the enslaved were now free. Note, that this was two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation – which had become official January 1, 1863. Today, Juneteenth commemorates African American freedom and emphasizes education and achievement. It is a day, a week and in some cases a month marked with a range of activities including celebrations, picnics and family gatherings. It is a time for reflection and rejoicing. It is a time for assessment, self-improvement and for planning for the future.
The DuSable Museum’s Juneteenth Family Freedom Day will include a program of entertaining and educational aspects including: arts and crafts; musical performances by Maggie Brown and the Kenwood Academy High School Choir; a pop-up exhibition entitled The Formerly Enslaved In Freedom: Family Photos of Emancipation presented by the Sons and Daughters of Slave Ancestry; story tellers; a screening of the short film, “Yonder Come Day;” courtesy of South Side Projections, and a lecture, “Juneteenth: A History.”
Admission to the Juneteenth Family Freedom Day is FREE. For more information visit the website at www.dusablemuseum.org or call 773-947-0600.
About The DuSable Museum of African American History
The DuSable Museum of African American History is one of the oldest institutions of its kind in the country. Its mission is to promote understanding and inspire appreciation of the achievements, contributions and experiences of African American and African history, culture and art. The DuSable Museum is a Smithsonian Institution Affiliate. For more information on the Museum and its programs, call 773-947-0600 or visit at www.dusablemuseum.org. The DuSable Museum of African American History gratefully acknowledges the Chicago Park District’s partnership and also thanks United Airlines, the official airline of the DuSable Museum, for its support.
