Trooper Jackie Quinn, representing “Buffalo Soldiers” of the 9th and 10th Cavalry, carries the General Order No. 3 during a march reenactment in celebration of Juneteenth in Galveston, Texas, June 19, 2023. Photo: Adrees Latif/REUTERS

[Episcopal News Service] Activities marking Juneteenth – June 19 – are set to take place in churches and dioceses across The Episcopal Church in the coming days, ranging from helping to restore a                                                                                    historically Black cemetery to concerts, worship services and speakers.

Juneteenth commemorates the date in 1865 that federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, to ensure that all enslaved people in the Confederate state were freed. This came more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on Jan. 1, 1863, but the order couldn’t be enforced everywhere until after the end of the Civil War on April 9, 1865.

The official end of slavery in the United States came with the ratification of the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution on Dec. 6, 1865.

Juneteenth, also known as Juneteenth Independence Day or Freedom Day, became a national holiday on June 17, 2021. While Texas and more than two dozen other states already observed Juneteenth as a state holiday, interest in a federal holiday was renewed in the summer of 2020, during months of racial reckoning that followed the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and several other Black people.

In 2021 Missouri Bishop Deon Johnson wrote collects for Juneteenth that others are welcome to use.

The Episcopal Diocese of Newark has made available liturgical resources  for the observance, and the Episcopal Diocese of Michigan has created a private devotion for Juneteenth.

The following is a list of some Juneteenth events hosted by Episcopal churches and dioceses. Check online for additional events. All times are local.

 Church of the Nativity – Church of the Nativity, Grand Junction, Colorado, is hosting a celebration on June 14 from 2-6 p.m. in the town’s Lincoln Park. This family-friendly event will feature local performers, guest speakers, kids’ activities and information booths.

The Episcopal Church in Western Oregon – The Episcopal Church in Western Oregon is cosponsoring a Juneteenth Freedom Day celebration June 14 at 1 p.m. at Allen Temple CME Church in Portland. The event will bring together churches, community members and civic leaders to commemorate Juneteenth and to celebrate Black freedom, resilience and culture. Keynote speaker will be the Rev. Allison Cannady-Smith, pastor of Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Portland. The program will include music, prayer, and time for fellowship and reflection.

St. John’s Cathedral – On June 14 beginning at 5 p.m., St. John’s Cathedral in Jacksonville, Florida, will host an evening of music, reflection and community featuring the Jacksonville Gospel Chorale, a keynote address by Jacksonville educator Tammy Hodo, and a book signing with Alton and Gwen Yates. The event is free and open to all.

Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles – The diocese’s Program Group on Black Ministries and the Union of Black Episcopalians H. Belfield Hannibal chapter will present a Juneteenth Evensong on June 14 from 4-7 p.m., at St. John’s Cathedral in Los Angeles.

 Washington National Cathedral – Washington National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., will celebrate Juneteenth on June 15 at the 11:15 a.m. Sunday Holy Eucharist, with music from the cathedral’s Contemporary Worship Ensemble.

 Episcopal Diocese of California – The annual Juneteenth celebration of the Episcopal Diocese of California will take place on June 15 at 6 p.m. at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco. Presiding will be the Rev. J. Sierra Reyes, the diocese’s canon to the ordinary. The preacher will be the Rev. Sakena Young-Scaggs, senior associate dean for religious and spiritual life at Stanford University and pastor of Stanford Memorial Church. The service is sponsored by the Afro-Anglican Commission of the diocese and the Northern California Vivian Traylor chapter of the Union of Black Episcopalians.

Church of the Epiphany – On June 17 at 12:10 p.m., the Church of the Epiphany, Washington, D.C., will host a Juneteenth event featuring performers from the Coalition for African Americans in the Performing Arts who will bring to life the experiences, trauma and jubilee of the enslaved Africans in Galveston, Texas, through music, dance and narration when they experienced freedom for the first time.

Diocese of Virginia – St. Peter’s, St. John’s and St. Philip’s churches in Richmond, Virginia, will host a Juneteenth Day of Freedom Celebration. It begins on June 19 at 8:30 a.m. at St. John’s with a walk to Peter Paul RVA, an organization that serves people in the city’s East End. The day also includes a community picnic with a bounce house, games and face painting. More information is on the event flyer.

 Episcopal Diocese of West Missouri – On June 19, the Diocese of West Missouri will host a tour to Pierce City to visit the lynching site of three African Americans, followed by a trip to Diamond, Missouri, to the George Washington Carver Museum. A bus will depart at 8:30 a.m. from St. Augustine’s in Kansas City. Reservations are required.

St. Clare of Assisi – Members of St. Clare’s in Ann Arbor, Michigan, on June 19 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. will take part in restoration efforts at Woodlawn Cemetery, which was founded decades ago by Black residents of Washtenaw County because other burial options were restricted by racism. More information about the project is here.

St. Barnabas’s Memorial Episcopal Church – St. Barnabas’s in Falmouth, Massachusetts, will host the city’s Juneteenth celebration, with music, food and live entertainment on June 19 from 1-5 p.m.

The Episcopal Diocese of Maryland – Memorial Church, Baltimore, and the diocese’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission will host a Gospel Evensong service on June 19 at 6:30 p.m. Featured guest artists include the Unified Voices of Johns Hopkins Gospel Choir, dancer Shonnita Johnson, poet Kenneth Something, and Lady Brion, poet laureate of Maryland. The Rev. Karen Mercer, the Rev. Ruth Elder, the Rev. Canon Randy K. Callender and the Rev. Canon Christine L. McCloud will offer reflections. Following the service, all are invited attend the opening of Environmental Racism: Looking Through Your Own Lens, a photo exhibit and collaboration of City Weeds, Brown Girl Wellness and Memorial Episcopal Church.

Church of the Good Shepherd – On June 20 at 6 p.m., the Church of the Good Shepherd, York, South Carolina, is hosting a community conversation featuring professors O. Jennifer Dixon-McKnight  and Edward Lee. The event is free but registration by phone is required.

Episcopal Diocese of Long Island – Scholars selected for the Episcopal Diocese of Long Island’s Barbara C. Harris Scholars Program will be presented with their scholarships by the Rt. Rev. Lawrence C. Provenzano, bishop of Long Island, during a “Juneteenth Jubilee” on June 21 at 11 a.m. at the Cathedral of the Incarnation in Garden City, New York. Created specifically for Black, African American or Caribbean American descendants of enslaved people pursuing higher education or vocational training, this program seeks to break down financial barriers that have hindered the educational aspirations of these scholars. The event speaker will be the Rev. Mark Bozzuti-Jones, priest for pastoral care and community at Trinity Wall Street, New York City. The event is open to the public; registration is required.

St. Luke’s Episcopal Church – On June 21 at noon, St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Altoona, Pennsylvania, will host a Juneteenth Jubilee, honoring the Freedom Fighters of Blair County and beyond, and celebrating the freedom that Juneteenth brings.

The Episcopal Diocese of Olympia – The diocese’s Circles of Color will host a special liturgy and BBQ potluck on June 21 at noon at Saint Mark’s Cathedral in Seattle to celebrate freedom, history and the gifts of its Black community. The Rev. Carla Robinson will preside, with the Rev. Paul Karume preaching. A special offering will be taken in support of the Richard Younge Curates of Color Fund.

St. Gregory’s Episcopal Church – The Beloved Community Committee of St. Gregory’s in Boca Raton, Florida, is hosting a Juneteenth celebration, 5-8 p.m. on June 21. It will include festive music from the Resurrection Steel Pan Orchestra, family crafts, storytelling, poetry and praise, and food. Those attending are asked to bring a favorite dish to share (ethnic dishes are welcome) or contribute to the Juneteenth/Beloved Community fund. Registration is required.

Episcopal Diocese of San Diego – A Juneteenth Freedom Day Celebration and Dance Party will take place June 21 from 4 to 7 p.m. at Resurrection, Ocean Beach. The event begins with Eucharist, followed by a potluck (bring your favorite dish or beverage), games and a dance party. The event is sponsored by the diocese’s BIPOC Leadership Link-Up and by Resurrection, Ocean Beach.

 St. David’s Episcopal Church – St. David’s in Austin, Texas, will mark Juneteenth on June 22 with a breakfast beginning at 8:30 a.m. and special recognitions at the 9 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. services. From 10 – 11 a.m. there will be a viewing of the PBS documentary Juneteenth: The Long Road to Freedom, with discussion.

The Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts – The Beloved Community Team of St. Stephen’s Church, Lynn, Massachusetts, and the diocese’s Office of Immigration and Multicultural Ministries on June 22 at 10 a.m. will host an African American worship experience at St. Stephen’s, followed by a free, fun and interactive meal as those gathered explore the ways Black culture has sustained and nurtured the pursuit of freedom across generations through music and song.  The Rev. Bernadette Hickman-Maynard will preside.

All Saints Episcopal Church – All Saints, Pasadena, California, on June 22 at 10 a.m. will host members of St. Barnabas, Pasadena, an historically Black congregation, to mark Juneteenth. The eight founding matriarchs of St. Barnabas will be honored, and a celebration on the lawn will follow the service.

— Melodie Woerman is an Episcopal News Service freelance reporter based in Kansas.