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  • Multiple Juneteenth celebrations are planned throughout Greater Lansing.
  • Events include festivals, parades, educational programs and artistic performances.
  • The holiday gained national recognition in 2020 and became a federal holiday in 2021.

LANSING — Juneteenth, a federal holiday commemorating the end of U.S. slavery, is June 19 and there are several ways to celebrate in Greater Lansing.

The 5th Annual 517 Juneteenth Weekend will happen in Lansing’s REO Town and some events for a separate Lansing Juneteenth Celebration already have happened.

Recognition for local African-Americans and their togetherness is just one of the themes for this year’s events.

Juneteenth is actually the nation’s youngest federal holiday. It commemorates the events of June 19, 1865, in Galveston, Texas, when the last Black slaves of the Confederacy were ordered free following the arrival of Union troops.

The day rose to national prominence in 2020 amid nationwide protests for ongoing racial inequities in the justice system between Black people – specifically Breonna Taylor and George Floyd – and police.

It was officially recognized as a federal holiday by President Joe Biden in 2021.

Here’s more to know about some main events happening in Lansing and elsewhere.

Lansing Juneteenth Celebration

“The mission of the Lansing Juneteenth Committee is to commemorate the ending of slavery in the United States by celebrating the joys of liberty, educating the community about our heritage, and by promoting positive cultural interaction,” organizers say on their website.

A tribute baseball game and 5K run/walk/roll happened June 14, but there’s more planned for the rest of  the week.

  • June 18: A kick-off ceremony and essay awards program at 6 p.m. at Lansing Community College’s Gannon Building, near downtown Lansing.
  • June 19: Juneteenth Flag ceremony at City Hall, 124 W. Michigan Ave., at 11 a.m.
  • June 20-21: The Juneteenth Freedom Festival at St. Joseph Park, 2125 W. Hillsdale St.  Vendors, exhibitors, music, dance, and “J-Teenth’s Got Talent,” showcasing talented teens, will happen 4-8:30 p.m. June 20. The celebration continues from 11 a.m. until dusk June 21.  An “African-American Parade” will kick off at 11 a.m. from Sexton High School, 102 McPherson Ave. A community resource fair, health fair and car show will also begin at 11 a.m. Children and youth activities, main stage entertainment and community activities are scheduled to begin at noon.

 517 Juneteenth Weekend

The 517 Juneteenth Weekend is intended as “a landmark celebration of Black culture, history, and community in Lansing, Michigan’s REO Town” and “four unforgettable days of empowerment, education, and entertainment as we honor the legacy of Juneteenth,” according to its website.

Kicking off the celebration is a free “Pathways to Wholeness” seminar and mixer at The Cadillac Room, 1115 S. Washington Ave, at 6:30 p.m. June 19. The dialogue, reflection and celebration with a “powerful panel of Michigan-based leaders” will focus on empowering Black wellness. RSVPs are suggested.

An ice cream social will happen from 5:30-8 pm. June 20 in the Riverview Church parking lot, 1115 S. Washington Ave.

A 517 Juneteenth Festival is scheduled for 3:30-10:30 p.m. June 21 in REO Town. Vendors, a Kidz Zone, food court, entertainment and more is planned.

Juneteenth Jazz Night will close out the celebration with live music, reflection and celebration beginning at 6:30 p.m. Sunday at the  Cadillac Room. The event promises “a special program highlighting the legacy of jazz and the profound influence of Black music on global culture, resistance and creativity.”

The event is free with an RSVP.

Other events

June 17: Delta Township is hosting a 5 p.m. History Walk and 5:30 p.m. community picnic and concert at Mount Hope Park, 7419 E. Mt. Hope Hwy., in Grand Ledge.

The history walk will include a “two-mile path featuring a powerful series of displays that trace the journey from the Emancipation Proclamation to Juneteenth.”

The community picnic will take place on the soccer fields.

Contemporary jazz musician Phil Denny, and a gospel performance stroll show by the Lansing Alumni Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and poetry reading will contribute to the entertainment throughout the event.

June 20: Meridian Township is inviting residents to a Juneteenth event from 3-7 p.m. at the Marketplace on the Green Pavilion, 1995 Central Park Drive in Okemos. There will be “live music, dancing, yard games, small business vendors, and more.”

Contact editor Susan Vela at svela@lsj.com or 248-873-7044. Follow her on Twitter @susanvela.