Anacostia Community Museum Announces Lineup for Its Juneteenth Celebration

The Smithsonian’s Anacostia Community Museum is bringing back its iconic Juneteenth festival with a daylong celebration from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday, June 19. Visitors will experience a full day of live music performances, an Urban Gardening Workshop with Derek Thomas and more.

“The Smithsonian’s Anacostia Community Museum has been celebrating Juneteenth since 1989 with live music, and we’re thrilled to have some of the region’s top local talent celebrating with us this year,” said Melanie Adams, the museum’s Roger Ferguson and Annette Nazareth director. “We encourage the community to bring their blankets and join us all day as we gather family, friends and neighbors to honor the present and reflect on our shared tradition and history.”

The Juneteenth Main Stage will be hosted by BeMo Brown and feature sounds throughout the day by Ebb King. It will also feature music by some of Washington, D.C.’s top local artists, including Noochie, DJ Cuzzin B, Alex Vaughn, Too Much Talent Band and DuPont Brass.

In addition to the music and activities planned for the day, visitors can visit the museum’s newest exhibition, “A Bold and Beautiful Vision: A Century of Black Arts Education in Washington, DC, 1900–2000.” The exhibition traces the story of the teachers and students who made Washington a truly unparalleled center for Black arts education.

Juneteenth is the celebration of the emancipation of Texas slaves who were formally notified of their freedom June 19, 1865. Although Congress abolished slavery in the District of Columbia in April 1862 and the territories in June 1862, it took over two years for the news to reach Texas. The celebration of freedom demonstrates the richness of African American culture and a strong spirit of community. Since 1865, Juneteenth has been celebrated in communities throughout the country with a variety of activities, including picnics, parades, music, speeches, dancing and baseball. The tradition was brought to the Washington area by Texans and formalized into a celebration at the Anacostia Community Museum in 1989.

The Juneteenth Freedom Celebration is free and open to the public. Registration is recommended.

About the Museum

Founded in 1967, the Smithsonian’s Anacostia Community Museum shares the untold and often overlooked stories of communities furthest from justice in the greater Washington, D.C., region. In celebrating stories of resiliency, joy and strength, the museum inspires those who visit to translate their ideas into action. For more information about the museum, visit anacostia.si.edu or follow the museum on X, LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.

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