LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Juneteenth Freedom celebrations in Little Rock are now just one month away, as the annual Juneteenth in Da Rock festival is set to return on June 17.
The Mosaic Templars Cultural Center (MTCC) will present the annual festival along Little Rock’s historic Ninth Street.
According to Mosaic Templars, Juneteenth is the most widely known celebration of emancipation in the United States.
The significance of Juneteenth centers around June 19, 1865 — the day federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas and announced that all enslaved people were free.
That same announcement came 2.5 years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation.
In the time since, Juneteenth celebrations have been a staple in the Black community for decades, even before it was recognized as a holiday in the United States.
Then, in 2021, Juneteenth was established as a federal holiday — garnering more attention for the holiday and its origins from those around the country.
“The holiday is more than just a celebration with music and food, it’s the very foundation of the story and history of our people in America," Quantia “Key” Fletcher, MTCC Director said. "Juneteenth is a time to pay homage to our ancestors, recognize the past, and share programming and education opportunities about the experiences of Black Americans.”
THV11 is a proud media sponsor of Juneteenth in Da Rock. For a full list of events leading up to the June 17 festival, you can click here.