How to Celebrate Juneteenth Around Champaign-Urbana

Celebrate the historical importance and cultural significance of Juneteenth around Champaign-Urbana

Head out with your family to celebrate Juneteenth, which commemorates emancipation in the U.S.

What is Juneteenth?

Juneteenth is an annual holiday that commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. It marks June 19, 1865, the day a group of enslaved Black people in Galveston, Texas, finally learned that they were set free — almost two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation.

Juneteenth was first celebrated in Texas on June 19, 1866. The day is also known as Emancipation Day and Freedom Day, but Juneteenth is now the most commonly used name. Celebrated annually on June 19, Juneteenth falls on a Thursday this year.

We’ll have information on what holiday closures you can expect, coming soon.

Juneteenth over the years

Public Juneteenth celebrations in Champaign-Urbana are nothing new. In 2005, the Champaign Park District, Champaign Public Library, and others presented one of the first broad civic Juneteenth celebrations, bringing recognition of Juneteenth to the forefront for the Champaign-Urbana area.

In June 2020, amid nationwide protests against police brutality and racism following the death of George Floyd, the holiday received unprecedented attention from people of all races. Many corporations announced they would make Juneteenth a paid holiday, while others made the day about education. Petitions began circulating to make Juneteenth a national holiday or day of observance.

During the spring 2021 session, Illinois lawmakers passed legislation that made Juneteenth a state holiday starting in 2022. At the national level, President Biden signed the “Juneteenth National Independence Day Act” into law on June 17, 2021, recognizing Juneteenth as a federal holiday.

Juneteenth events in Champaign-Urbana

Juneteenth deals in nearby cities

Some large cultural institutions offer free admission or other special deals on holidays with historical significance. A trend is emerging for such deals to be offered on Juneteenth now that more families may be able to take advantage of having a holiday from work. A brief look around the C-U region reveals an assortment of special Juneteenth deals at museums and other attractions. (Note that these admission deals are related to Juneteenth content except where noted; Juneteenth observances in these cities are too numerous to list here.) As always, check before you go to see if advance reservations are required.

• Eiteljorg Museum, Indianapolis. Free admission on Saturday, June 21, featuring the Juneteenth and Jazz Community Celebration.
• Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites, Indianapolis, and various locations. Free admission on Saturday, June 21. Many special events throughout the day.

We have a few ideas for how to celebrate Juneteenth without going to a “special” event:

• Support Black-owned businesses, including restaurants, retailers, service providers, and others.
• Some people eat traditional Black Southern cuisine like fried chicken, collard greens and cornbread. (Don’t want to cook? Order from a Black-owned restaurant, such as Neil St. Blues or Wood N’ Hog.)
• Incorporate red-colored foods and drinks into your celebration, and educate your family and friends why with this article. These could include strawberry soda and red velvet cake.
• June is also Black Music Month. Black musicians traverse multiple genres — find a playlist on your favorite streaming service.
• Share this holiday with your children through books, several listed here.
• If you prefer to watch a video about Juneteenth with your family, this website details three videos about Juneteenth for kids.

Know of a family friendly Juneteenth event in Champaign-Urbana that we don’t have on our list? Take a moment to submit it for consideration on our event calendar now.