Juneteenth Celebration Austin

Austin Events and Festivals

Juneteenth Celebration Austin
June 19, 2012
Various Events and Times (see below)
Rosewood Park
(And East Austin Parade and 2K Route)

The Juneteenth Celebration in Austin includes a 2K race, a parade, an historical community program, and, of course, a festival style Park Celebration held at Rosewood Park in East Austin.

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Juneteenth Austin 2012 Schedule

Juneteenth - June 19, 2012

9:30 am - 2k Freedom Run/Walk - See map here

10:00 am - Juneteenth Historical Parade - Same route as 2K route

12:00 pm - 9:00 pm - Juneteenth Celebration @ Rosewood Park (see map below)

12:15 pm - 2:00 pm - Historical Program @ Doris Miller Auditorium (Rosewood & Chestnut - Southwest corner of Rosewood Park)

Other Juneteenth related events in Austin include:

Juneteenth Gospel and Praise Dance - June 23, 2012 - 11:00 am- 4:00 pm - Doris Miller Auditorium @ Rosewood Park
Juneteenth Gospel Fest - June 24, 2012 - 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm - Doris Miller Auditorium @ Rosewood Park

About Juneteenth Celebration Austin

Juneteenth Celebration in Austin
on June 19, 1900

On June 19, 1865, African-American slaves in Texas first learned of President Lincoln's 1863 Emancipation Proclamation when General Gordon Granger officially delivered the proclamation in Galveston.

Juneteenth as a holiday in Texas was celebrated soon thereafter, although it was frequently met with resistance by local cities. In order to be able to commemorate the event, African-Americans resorted to acquiring private "emancipation gounds" on which to hold Juneteenth.

In Austin, this privately held property was known as Emancipation Park. In 1930, the City of Austin acquired the land in 1930, and the holiday began being celebrated at Rosewood Park in East Austin.

Juneteenth fell out of favor for a while around mid-century, but began to be celebrated again in Austin (at Rosewood Park) in 1976.

Originally a Texas holiday (June 19, 1865 is considered by many to be the official date that slavery ended in the U.S. since Texas was the last state to learn of the surrender of the Confederacy), Juneteenth is now observed or recognized in more than 30 states, including states as far from Texas as Alaska and Vermont.

Additional Juneteenth Resources:

The Handbook of Texas Online

Texas State Library and Archives Commission

Juneteenth Worldwide Celebration - Flickr Group