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  • Across several North Jersey counties, there will be various Juneteenth events.

Four years after President Joe Biden signed the bill making Juneteenth a federal holiday, and five years after Gov. Phil Murphy made it a state holiday, events will be held throughout North Jersey celebrating this important day in the African American community.

On June 19, 1865, Union Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, to give enslaved Black people the news that their owners never told them: President Abraham Lincoln had signed the Emancipation Proclamation two and a half years earlier. The years that followed saw Juneteenth celebrations across Texas, which later spread across the South and to other areas in the United States.

Those in North Jersey wanting to recognize Juneteenth can do so at various events, from the release of a new report on reparations for African Americans in New Jersey to a silent walk from Hackensack to Teaneck. All events listed are free to the public unless otherwise indicated.

Juneteenth events in Bergen County

East Rutherford: Juneteenth Is the American Dream, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. June 19, is an all-day celebration of Black culture, excellence, and community at the American Dream mall. The event will feature a Buy Black Marketplace, live musical performances, DJ sets, Divine 9 strolls, engaging panels and more. It’s an opportunity to celebrate freedom, amplify Black voices and engage with attendees. Brought to you by the Culture Lab, the HBCUNY Classic and HBCU Inspired.

Fair Lawn: The borough’s third annual Juneteenth celebration will be held on June 13 at the Fair Lawn Community Center Gym, 10-10 20th St. The event, hosted by the Fair Lawn Community Relations Advisory Committee, will run from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. and will feature live music, local vendors, food, and performances.

Hackensack: Bergen County will hold Juneteenth Freedom Day on June 19 at 5:30 p.m. in the Bergen County Administration Building, The Piazza in the Bergen County Plaza. June 22 is the Hackensack Juneteenth Festival in Carver Park, 294 2nd St., from 1 to 6 p.m. The festival will feature a live DJ, pickleball, giveaways, a fashion show, and more.

Teaneck: A full day of festivities with music, food, and activities will take place from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on June 19. The event will include a silent walk from the FDU MLK monument to Pomander Walk from 8 to 9 a.m.; a flag raising at the Votee Sportsplex from noon to 12:30 p.m.; a Juneteenth Jubilee at the Richard Rodda Center MP1, from 1 to 3 p.m.; and fellowship at Czen Restaurant in Englewood, from 5 to 8 p.m. For information, contact juneteenthteaneck@gmail.com.

Juneteenth events in Essex County

Belleville: Juneteenth Jazz featuring Carrie Jackson and her All Star Jazz Ensemble will be 6 to 8 p.m. June 19, at Belleville Public Library, 221 Washington Ave. bellepl.org/juneteenthjazz

Bloomfield: The Township’s 5th Annual Juneteenth Celebration will take place noon to 7 p.m. June 14 (rain date June 21) in Bloomfield Center at Glenwood Avenue and Washington Street. The event will be preceded by a special morning inspiration and worship service, 10:30 to 11:30 a.m., followed by live performances by local artists, food trucks, family-friendly activities and shopping opportunities supporting local and Black-owned businesses. Guests will also have the chance to connect with community leaders and historians, who will share insights on the significance of Juneteenth and its importance in the fight for justice and equality. For information, visit thegivebackhairshow.org

Maplewood: The Durand-Hedden House & Garden Association and the South Orange-Maplewood Community Coalition on Race will hold their annual Juneteenth celebration noon to 5 p.m. June 14 at Grasmere Park, surrounding Durand-Hedden House, 523 Ridgewood Road. The family-friendly event will feature historical reenactors, musical performances, dance and poetry. Children can enjoy face painting and crafts. Visitors can also view the exhibit “Slavery in New Jersey: A Troubled History,” which provides historical context for Juneteenth and the history of enslaved people in New Jersey. The Coalition will host its free Integrated Art Circle featuring West African traditional dance at 2 p.m., led by West African dancer and drummer Yahaya Kamate. The event is free and all are welcome. Visit communitycoalitiononrace.org/events for information.

Millburn: A celebration will take place at 3 p.m. June 17 at the Bauer Center in Taylor Park, 100 Main St.

Montclair: The township will hold its Juneteenth Festival 2025 on June 21 from noon to 5 p.m. in Nishaune Park, Cedar Avenue between High Street and Harrison Avenue. There will be live performances, food vendors, family activities, local artisans, and community resources. The event is hosted by the Friends of the Howe House in partnership with community sponsors.

Newark: The New Jersey Performing Arts Center, 1 Center St., will host on June 19 at 7 p.m. the release and discussion of the New Jersey Reparations Council’s long-awaited report, “For Such a Time as This: The Nowness of Reparations for Black People in New Jersey.” The New Jersey Reparations Council was convened by the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice on Juneteenth 2023 to “finally confront and repair the deep and often overlooked history of slavery in New Jersey and its lasting impact on the contemporary life of Black people in the state.” The event will feature an introduction by Paulette Brown; Fireside Chat (Courageous Philanthropy & Advocacy) with Amber Randolph, Maisha Simmons, Rich Besser, Ryan Haygood; Panel 1: From the slave state of the north to the two New Jerseys, moderated by Taja-Nia Henderson with panelists Dreisen Heath, Melissa Miles, Walter Greason and Madiba Dennie; Panel 2: What’s next to move reparations forward?, moderated by Khalil Gibran Muhammad with panelists Jean-Pierre Brutus, Assemblywoman Verlina Reynolds-Jackson, Reverend Charles Boyer, Nicole Rodriguez, and Larry Hamm, and the conclusion with Pastor Timothy Adkins-Jones. Register for the free event at njpac.com.

Verona: Join Verona’s Township Council at the raising of the Juneteenth flag to honor freedom and unity and the end of slavery in the U.S. on June 16 at 10:30 a.m. at the Verona Civic Center, 600 Bloomfield Ave.

Juneteenth events in Morris County

Morristown: Local nonprofit arts organizations will come together to host free events known as the Juneteenth Arts Celebration. The Juneteenth Arts Celebration Kickoff Concert featuring Lynette Sheard and Gregory Burrus Productions on June 18 at 6 p.m. at The Vail Mansion, 110 South St. Then, Art in the Atrium – Opening Reception of Another Slice of Sweet Potato Pie on June 19 from 6 to 9 p.m. in the Morris County Administration and Records Building, 10 Court St., and Morris Museum’s Celebration with Unity Steppers on June 20 from 5 to 9 p.m. at the museum, 6 Normandy Heights Road. RSVP for the events at https://juneteenthartscelebrationcom.wordpress.com/.

Randolph: The Morris County Human Relations Commission will host a screening of Sense of Urgency, a new, award-winning documentary about a young attorney’s battle to overcome cancer that reshaped her world, at the County College of Morris on June 21 at 6 p.m. as part of celebrating Juneteenth. After the screening, a panel discussion featuring local leaders, as well as Queen Stewart, the featured attorney in the film. The event will be in the college’s Dragonetti Auditorium, 214 Center Grove Road. Registration for the event at: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1Pg11kX2rHzPsg3OCVh6vOCpvvcSgVAzVKRDVttHUPP0/viewform?edit_requested=true.

Juneteenth events in Passaic County

Passaic: There will be a Juneteenth celebration on June 14 hosted by Mayor Hector Lora and the Passaic City Council from 1 to 5 p.m. at Third Ward Memorial Park, 350 Passaic Ave. The event will feature vendors, raffles, live entertainment, arts and crafts, food, and community resources. Later that day, from 7 to 9:30 p.m., fireworks at Passaic City Hall Courtyard, 330 Passaic St.

Paterson: The Family Legacy Day on the 160th Juneteenth Anniversary will be at 9 a.m. June 14 at the HVR Underground Railroad National Historic Site, 125 Martin Luther King Blvd. Join the African American Independence Day, celebrating family legacy and the legacy tree planting, hosted by Jimmy Richardson, and honoring the Benson/Wimberly family, the John Kline family, William Van Rensalier family, Big Jim and Kate Ellerbee family. Visit Patersonnj.gov/ugrr.

Woodland Park: The Passaic County Board of County Commissioners will hold a Juneteenth celebration on June 19 from 3 to 8 p.m. at the Pat DiIanni Boat House in Garret Mountain Reservation, 227 Virginio Pl. This free event is open to the public and invites residents from across the county to gather in recognition of freedom, heritage, and community.

Juneteenth events in Sussex County

Newton: The North Jersey organizations Norwescap and HEAL will host the 5th Annual Juneteenth Celebration on June 21 at the Newton Green, 4 Spring St., 1 to 5 p.m. The event will include various speakers, performers, vendors, and art exhibits. The event is free with tickets at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/h3als-5th-annual-juneteenth-celebration-on-the-newton-green-tickets-1375107356119.