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Cleveland’s Juneteenth Freedom Fest

Source: Web Graphic / Freedom Fest

Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. This weekend, the public is invited to take part in The 2021 Juneteenth Freedom Fest in the heart of Downtown Cleveland.

Set to take place on Saturday, June 19 from 12:00 pm – 10:00 pm on Mall C, the city-wide, family-friendly celebration and commemoration of Juneteenth will feature headline performances from by GRAMMY Award winning performers Terri Lyne Carrington + Social Science with special guests Ms. Lisa Fischer and Maimouna “Mumu Fresh” Youssef; “Freedom on Juneteenth: Songs of Liberation,” a mainstage performance by Karamu House, the country’s oldest Black producing theatre; and a fireworks finale made possible by #CL3Alliance, the Cleveland Cavaliers, Cleveland Browns, and Cleveland Indians.

Festivities will also include the JACK Entertainment vendor village to spotlight Black businesses and entrepreneurs; community programming and education supported by The Sherwin-Williams Company, The Good Community Foundation and AKA Team Construction; and spoken-word performances, interactive art demonstrations, food trucks, and beverage concessions.

Juneteenth Freedom Fest Performances

Source: Freedom Fest Graphic / Cleveland Freedom Fest

HISTORY OF JUNETEENTH

Two and a half years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation Union soldiers, led by Major General Gordon Granger, arrived in Galveston, Texas with news that the war had ended and that the enslaved were now free. Whatever the reasons be it economic or deliberate sabotage, there were still enslaved people in Texas well beyond the newly established employer to employee relationship for black people in America.

The Juneteenth celebration was a time for reassuring each other, find joy in the pain, for praying and for gathering remaining family members. Juneteenth continued to be highly revered in Texas decades later, with many former slaves and descendants making an annual pilgrimage back to Galveston on this date.

FOR MORE INFO ON CLEVELAND’S JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION, VISIT www.juneteenthcle.com

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Cleveland’s Juneteenth Fest To Feature Live Music, Special Guests & Fireworks Finale  was originally published on wzakcleveland.com