Juneteenth FactS

 Mayor spoke from his office about the financial commitments Pittsburgh makes to support the annual Juneteenth celebration 

Pittsburgh —  Mayor Ed Gainey spoke directly to residents from his office in Grant Street to address concerns around the plans for this year's Juneteenth celebration.  

“I want to be clear the City of Pittsburgh was never going to cancel Juneteenth and never issued any directives around canceling Juneteenth,” said Mayor Gainey. “As an administration we committed ourselves to providing equal financial support to Juneteenth as we do to the 4th of July Celebrations, and our grant of $125,000 is a reflection of that commitment.” 

During his address Mayor Gainey announced a commitment from the city of a $125,000 grant to help support the annual Juneteenth celebration in order to financially support the holiday to the same level as the July 4th festivities.  

Safety of all residents is important to us, and the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police will be patrolling this event as they’ve always have done. Our EMS crews and the Fire Department also will be on scene to ensure everyone is able to enjoy the celebration. 

It is the responsibility of all private event promoters to comply with all regulations at events taking place in Point State Park, and these include the hiring of private security guards to screen bags ahead of any fireworks displays.  

Mayor Gainey closed his address by noting: “Juneteenth is about our freedom, and its celebration should be equal to that of the founding of our country. This is a time to come together as a community to celebrate our freedom.”  

Full transcript of the Mayor’s Remarks below: 
Pittsburgh is at its best when everyone in our city feels safe and welcome, and where everyone has opportunities to thrive.    

As mayor, and as an administration, we have made major commitments to make sure that Juneteenth is treated with the upmost respect and dignity that it deserves.   

Last year we worked hard to make Juneteenth a successful event with the city providing nearly $200,000 of financial and in-kind support.    

Our administration also erased the debts owed by the private event promoter for previous years of Juneteenth celebrations.   

This year the City of Pittsburgh provided a $125,000 grant to support Juneteenth and will also provide nearly $80,000 of in-kind support through the work of our Department of Public Safety.  

I want to be clear – the City of Pittsburgh was never going to cancel Juneteenth and never issued any directives around canceling Juneteenth.    

Our Pittsburgh Bureau of Police will be patrolling the event, our EMS crews will be on hand, as will our Fire Department, the city is prepared to do its part in keeping everyone safe as we celebrate this important national holiday.    

There are many major events and festivals that happen each year in our city, from Pride, to Picklesburgh, to Three Rivers Arts Festival and the Marathon.   

Each and every one of those events, which are all privately managed events just like Juneteenth, raises the funds needed every year to secure the permits, security, and other things needed to keep everyone safe.    

It is on the private event promoters to comply with all regulations associated with their events. For Juneteenth this means hiring security to screen bags at Point State Park in advance of the Firework display.   

This is a regulation that even the City of Pittsburgh must comply with for the annual 4th of July Celebration.   

There are only two events in Pittsburgh that receive direct financial support from the City of Pittsburgh: The Fourth of July and Juneteenth.   

As an administration we committed ourselves to providing equal financial support to Juneteenth as we do to the 4th of July Celebrations, and our grant of $125,000 is a reflection of that commitment.    

Yesterday, accusations were made that we are treating Juneteenth differently than every other event hosted in our great city.     

And the reality is, we do treat Juneteenth differently.    

No other privately managed event receives the amount of financial support that the city has given to Juneteenth this year, as well as the amount of in-kind support we have given to it in the previous years.     

Juneteenth is about our freedom – and its celebration should be equal to that of the founding of our country.     

This should be a time of coming together as a community to celebrate our freedom.

As a city we will continue to support the Juneteenth celebration and we hope that everyone has a good time. 

Pittsburgh Embraces Juneteenth – the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States.

Pittsburgh will celebrate the Western Pennsylvania Juneteenth Homecoming Celebration June 16-19, 2023, in Point State Park and Market Square! 

This free, family-friendly event is a Celebration of all Cities and Boroughs in Allegheny County and will feature African American Culture Education, speakers, live music and local vendors! 

2023 Performance Schedule 

Friday, June 16:

• Hurricane Chris, 5 p.m. 
• Arrested Development, 6:30 p.m. 
• KRS-ONE, 8 p.m.

Saturday, June 17::

• U.S. Army Jazz Band, 2 p.m. 
• SAMMIE, 5 p.m. 
• KeKe Wyatt, 6:30 p.m. 
• Carl Thomas & Band, 8 p.m.

Sunday, June 18:

• Sammie Deleon Afro-Cuban Band, 3 p.m. 
• Soul 4 Real, 6:30 p.m. 
• Erica Campbell, 8 p.m.

Monday, June 19::

• The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, 3 p.m. 
• Phyllis Hyman Tribute Band, 5 p.m. 
• RUFF ENDZ, 6:30 p.m. 
• The Ohio Players, 8 p.m. 
• Juneteenth Fireworks, 9:35pm

Updated List Below:

It's the Biggest Juneteenth Celebration in the Country.

2023 WPA JUNETEENTH HOMECOMING CELEBRATION @Point State Park 

{National Entertainment Highlights}


JUNE 16-19 (11am-9pm Daily)


FREE OUTDOOR CELEBRATION (Rain or Shine)


FRI JUNE 16:  Hurricane Chris (5p) | ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT (6:30p) | KRS-ONE (8p)
     (Hip Hop 50yr Anniversary Showcase)


SAT JUNE 17: U S. Army Jazz Ambassadors (2p) | SAMMIE (5p) | KEKE WYATT (6:30p) | CARL THOMAS w/Live Band (8p)


SUN JUNE 18: SAMMY DELON BAND (5p) | SOUL 4 REAL (6:30p) | ERIC CAMPBELL (8p)


MON JUNE 19: The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (3p) | PHYLLIS HYMAN Tribute (6:30p) | THE OHIO PLAYERS (8p) | 


Cap of with JUNETEENTH FIREWORKS off the Northshore (9:35p)



II. JUNETEENTH-IN-THE-SQUARE Festival 


JUNE 16-19, Market Square, Downtown Pittsburgh (11am-9pm Daily)



{Local Entertainment Highlights}


FRI June 16th: 1pm, Dr. James Johnson & Pgh Jazz All-stars | 3pm, Soul Radyo Band I 5pm, Chantal Joseph Band | 7:30pm, House of Soul Band 


SAT June 17th: 2pm, Dr. Jacqueline Young Quintet | 4pm, ARTISTREE | 6pm, ONE-UP Band | 8pm, 496 WEST Band Presented by PA Lottery 


SUN June 18th: 2pm, Rodney McCoy | 4pm, Deryck Tines | 6pm, Tubby Daniels Band | 8pm, Kevin Howard Quartet 


MON June 19th: 2pm, Hugo Cruz & Caminos Trio | 4pm, ALKEMI Band | 6pm, Flow Band | 7:30pm, BHB | 


9:35pm JUNETEENTH FIREWORKS Off the Northshore 


Lawn Chairs Recommended | Vendors | Cultural Activities | and more


For more info: StoptheViolencePgh.com | FB IG @wpajuneteenth | WPAJuneteenth@Yahoo.com | WPAJuneteenth.com | (724) 205-9376

Juneteenth is Now a Federal Holiday!

From its Galveston, Texas origin in 1865, the observance of June 19 as the African American Emancipation Day has spread across the United States and beyond. Today Juneteenth commemorates African American freedom and emphasizes education and achievement. It is a day, a week, and in some areas a month marked with celebrations, guest speakers, picnics, and family gatherings.

Juneteenth (short for “June Nineteenth”) marks the day when federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas in 1865 to take control of the state and ensure that all enslaved people be freed. The troops’ arrival came a full two and a half years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. Juneteenth honors the end to slavery in the United States and is considered the longest-running African American holiday. On June 17, 2021, it officially became a federal holiday. 

Confederate General Robert E. Lee had surrendered at Appomattox Court House two months earlier in Virginia, but slavery had remained relatively unaffected in Texas—until U.S. General Gordon Granger stood on Texas soil and read General Orders No. 3: “The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free.”

The Emancipation Proclamation 

The Emancipation Proclamation issued by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, had established that all enslaved people in Confederate states in rebellion against the Union “shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free.” 

But in reality, the Emancipation Proclamation didn’t instantly free any enslaved people. The proclamation only applied to places under Confederate control and not to slave-holding border states or rebel areas already under Union control. However, as Northern troops advanced into the Confederate South, many enslaved people fled behind Union lines.

President Lincoln, Slavery and the Emancipation Proclamation

Juneteenth and Slavery in Texas

In Texas, slavery had continued as the state experienced no large-scale fighting or significant presence of Union troops. Many enslavers from outside the Lone Star State had moved there, as they viewed it as a safe haven for slavery.

After the war came to a close in the spring of 1865, General Granger’s arrival in Galveston that June signaled freedom for Texas’s 250,000 enslaved people. Although emancipation didn’t happen overnight for everyone—in some cases, enslavers withheld the information until after harvest season—celebrations broke out among newly freed Black people, and Juneteenth was born. That December, slavery in America was formally abolished with the adoption of the 13th Amendment.

The year following 1865, freedmen in Texas organized the first of what became the annual celebration of "Jubilee Day" on June 19. In the ensuing decades, Juneteenth commemorations featured music, barbecues, prayer services and other activities, and as Black people migrated from Texas to other parts of the country the Juneteenth tradition spread. 

In 1979, Texas became the first state to make Juneteenth an official holiday; several others followed suit over the years. In June 2021, Congress passed a resolution establishing Juneteenth as a national holiday; President Biden signed it into law on June 17, 2021. 

Source: History.com

One year ago, I had the great honor of signing legislation to establish Juneteenth as a national holiday—the first new federal holiday since Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day nearly four decades ago. Juneteenth marks both the long, hard night of slavery and subjugation and a promise of a brighter morning to come. It is a day of profound weight and power that reminds us of our extraordinary capacity to heal, hope, and emerge from our most painful moments into a better version of ourselves. Great nations don’t ignore their most painful moments. They confront them to grow stronger. And that is what this great nation must continue to do. 

But, it’s not enough to just commemorate Juneteenth. Emancipation marked the beginning, not the end, of America’s work to deliver on the promise of equality. To honor the true meaning of Juneteenth, we must not rest until we deliver the promise of America for all Americans.

That is why Vice President Harris and I have appointed leadership in the federal government that looks like America. Our Administration is taking a whole-of-government approach to advance equity and racial justice and address the lasting impacts of systemic racism on Black communities. We have implemented initiatives to expand economic opportunity for Black families, provided historic support for Historically Black Colleges and Universities, improved health outcomes for Black communities, and taken important steps to protect voting rights, advance police reform, and enhance access to justice.

This is a day to celebrate, to educate, and to act. As we mark Juneteenth, my Administration will continue our efforts to root out inequity from our country and institutions and ensure true liberty and justice for all.

ADDTIONAL MESSAGE FROM PRESIDENT BIDEN

 After the Union Army captured New Orleans in 1862, slave owners in Confederate states migrated to Texas with more than 150,000 enslaved Black persons.  For 3 years, even after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, enslaved Black Americans in Texas remained in brutal bondage, immorally and illegally deprived of their freedom and basic dignity.  On June 19, 1865 — over 2 years after President Lincoln declared all enslaved persons free — Major General Gordon Granger and Union Army troops marched to Galveston, Texas, to enforce the Emancipation Proclamation and free the last enslaved Black Americans in Texas. 

    Those who were freed from bondage celebrated their long-overdue emancipation on June 19.  Today, our Nation commemorates Juneteenth:  a chance to celebrate human freedom, reflect on the grievous and ongoing legacy of slavery, and rededicate ourselves to rooting out the systemic racism that continues to plague our society as we strive to deliver the full promise of America to every American.

    This Juneteenth, we are freshly reminded that the poisonous ideology of racism has not yet been defeated — it only hides.  Our Nation continues to mourn the 10 lives senselessly taken in Buffalo, New York, and grieve for the families who have lost a piece of their soul.  As we confront the awful reality of yet another gunman massacring innocent people in the name of hatred, racism, and fear, we must meet this moment with renewed resolve.  We must stand together against white supremacy and show that bigotry and hate have no safe harbor in America. 

     Juneteenth is a day to reflect on both bondage and freedom — a day of both pain and purpose.  It is, in equal measure, a remembrance of both the long, hard night of slavery and subjugation, as well as a celebration of the promise of a brighter morning to come.  On Juneteenth, we remember our extraordinary capacity to heal, to hope, and to emerge from our worst moments as a stronger, freer, and more just Nation.  It is also a day to celebrate the power and resilience of Black Americans, who have endured generations of oppression in the ongoing journey toward equal justice, equal dignity, equal rights, and equal opportunity in America.

    Last year, I was proud to sign bipartisan legislation establishing Juneteenth as our newest Federal holiday, so that all Americans can feel the power of this day, learn from our history, celebrate our progress, and recognize and engage in the work that continues.  Great nations do not ignore their most painful moments — they face them.  We grow stronger as a country when we honestly confront our past injustices, including the profound suffering and injustice wrought by slavery and generations of segregation and discrimination against Black Americans.  To heal, we must remember.  We must never rest until the promise of our Nation is made real for all Americans.

    The emancipation of enslaved Black Americans was not the end of our Nation’s work to deliver on the promise of equality — it was only the beginning.  On Juneteenth, we recommit to our shared work to ensure racial justice, equity, and equality in America.  We commemorate the centuries of struggle and progress led by abolitionists, educators, civil rights advocates, lawyers, activists, trade unionists, religious leaders, public officials, and everyday Americans who have brought our Nation closer to fulfilling its promise. 

    As my good friend, the late Congressman Elijah Cummings, said, “Our children are the living messengers we send to a future we will never see.”  Together as a Nation, let us continue our work together to build a country we are all proud to pass along to our children — one where the foundational promises and ideals of America ring true for every child and every family.

Fact #1: Following the issuing of the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, not all enslaved people immediately found freedom.

The Emancipation Proclamation freed slaves in states then in rebellion against the United States. Union troops operating in said states gave teeth to the Proclamation. This, however, did not apply to the border states.

Fact #2: The Civil War ended in the summer of 1865. Union General Gordon Granger and his troops traveled to Galveston, Texas to announce General Orders No. 3 on June 19, 1865. June 19th would go on to be known and celebrated as Juneteenth. 

General Orders No. 3  stated: “The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired labor."

Fact #3: Part of General Order No. 3 encouraged the newly freed people to remain with their past owners.  “The freedmen are advised to remain quietly at their present homes and work for wages. They are informed that they will not be allowed to collect at military posts and that they will not be supported in idleness either there or elsewhere.”

 Fact #4: The period after Juneteenth is known as the ‘Scatter.’  Undeterred by the recommendation to remain in place, many former slaves left the area during the original reading. In the following weeks formerly enslaved people left Texas in great numbers to find family members and make their way in the postbellum United States.  

Fact #5: Juneteenth has been celebrated under many names.  Freedom Day, Jubilee Day, and Cel-Liberation Day, Second Independence Day, and Emancipation Day to name just a few.

Fact #6: Emancipation Park in Houston, Texas was bought specifically to celebrate Juneteenth.  The 10-acre parcel of land was purchased by former slaves, Richard Allen, Richard Brock, Jack Yates, and Elias Dibble for $800 in 1872.  

Fact #7: During the early 20th-century Juneteenth celebrations declined.  The enactment of Jim Crow laws dampened the celebration of freedom. In addition, the Great Depression forced many black farming families away from rural areas and into urban environments to seek work— resulting in difficulty taking the day off to celebrate.  

Fact #8: The celebration of Juneteenth was revived during the civil rights movement.  The Poor People's March planned by Martin Luther King Jr. was purposely scheduled to coincide with the date. March participants took the celebrations back to their home states and soon the holiday was reborn.

Fact #9: Celebrations of Juneteenth continue today.  Traditions include public readings of the Emancipation Proclamation, singing traditional songs, and reading of works by noted African American writers. Celebrations can also take the form of rodeos, street fairs, cookouts, family reunions, park parties, historical reenactments, and Miss Juneteenth contests.  

Fact #10: On June 17, 2021, President Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act, which officially made Juneteenth a federal holiday.  This holiday is the first holiday to be approved since President Ronald Reagan signed a 1983 bill that approved Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a federal holiday.

Source:  American Battlefield Trust

June 19, or Juneteenth, is a holiday that commemorates the day that Texas, the last Confederate state, learned about the Emancipation Proclamation—marking the end of slavery in the United States in 1865. 

But as University of Pittsburgh historian Alaina Roberts notes, it’s important to remember that the emancipation of slaves didn’t actually happen in one fell swoop.

“Juneteenth is a reminder that emancipation was not one moment in time: the news about the Emancipation Proclamation (which outlawed slavery within Confederate states) and the Thirteenth Amendment (which abolished slavery throughout the country) came to African Americans in different parts of the United States at different times,” said Roberts, assistant professor in Pitt’s Department of History in the Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences. 

How can we talk about Juneteenth and race with our children? To help, Pittwire sat down with Aisha White, director of the P.R.I.D.E. Program (Positive Racial Identity Development in Early Education) in the School of Education’s Office of Child Development. The goal of the P.R.I.D.E Program is to help young Black children develop a positive racial identity by supporting teachers, parents and other caregivers by providing resources that build their racial knowledge and skills.

You might not want to explain Juneteenth to kids if you don’t want to explain slavery to them. It may be too scary a topic for kids that aren’t old enough—and while children’s ability to understand and manage that kind of information varies, it’s safer to not start until they’re closer to 6 or 7 years old. However, if children who are younger raise the issue, there are ways to explain it to them that won’t cause anxiety.

I like to reference a TED Talk by author and scholar Beverly Daniel Tatum called “Is My Skin Brown Because I Drank Chocolate Milk?” The way she explained it to her son (who asked the question that became the title of her talk) was: A long time ago, before there were companies, stores and buildings, there were some people who needed to work the land in the United States. There was a need for smart, strong workers—and they went to Africa and brought them to the United States against their will which wasn’t OK. They were people but they were called slaves. Those people made them work, but never paid them and they were never allowed to leave the plantations where they worked; it was very unfair. But there were also good people who were working to end slavery, Black and white people, and they were eventually successful. Of course, this is an abbreviated version and you may need to add many more details, but you will have at least covered many of the main issues. 

Once you get to the part of the story where you’re explaining Juneteenth, you can tell children that during that time there were no things like TV or phones to communicate; information was written in letters and carried from one place to another on horses. Not everyone got the news at the same time that slavery had ended, so it took two years for people to find out about it in Texas. But on June 19, people in that state did learn about it. 

The story I described can be told to anyone. However, a white family might need to explain more explicitly that it was white people who enslaved Black people. White families should also make sure to describe how there were many white people who were allies in the struggle who helped to abolish slavery. And, it’s also important for white families to be prepared to answer questions if their children ask why white people enslaved Black people. 

Juneteenth gave people freedom but it also gave them hope, something they had been longing for for a long time. Telling this particular story offers an opportunity for kids to know how important it was for people who had been treated so badly for so long to begin to experience a whole new way of life, to be truly free, and that’s always something to celebrate.

This doesn’t differ between white and Black families. One way to introduce the conversation is by reading picture books. They’re an easy and obvious way to introduce kids to people who don’t look like them. Children need to have these conversations because they are seeing what we refer to as racial differences early. By the time a child is 3 months old, they can already notice someone whose skin color is different from their primary caregivers, just by looking at faces. They look longer at the face of someone whose skin color looks like their primary caregiver at that age. But at 6 months, they spend a longer amount of time looking at someone whose face is different from, for example someone who is darker than their primary caregiver.  

As they grow and develop, kids are taking in all the information they get from everywhere in the world, including watching television, being engaged in local activities, the covers of magazines at the grocery story. They can put two and two together, but they don’t always end up with four. If we don’t talk to our kids, they often make their own sense of things on their own. 

Black families should be consistently providing uplifting information for children. In the literature, it’s called racial socialization: helping kids feel good about themselves as individuals, including their facial features and hair texture. It’s important they understand they’re part of a larger group of people who are part of their race and feel good about that, about the things those people created and the history of those people. The messages are more protective and can serve as a preventive measure that interrupts the process of them internalizing negative attitudes about themselves they can develop as a result of living in a racialized society.

For white families, it’s important to do work that interrupts white children developing a false sense of racial superiority. Parents should be stifling the idea of racial superiority—and emphasizing that goodness, smartness or kindness is not assigned to a certain race of people. 

If a parent chooses not to talk about race with their kids, they should know that they’re actually taking an action—being silent is taking action, just the wrong kind. When a child says something that may be racially unacceptable, parents should treat it like any other conversation that they may have with children and not react in ways that are extreme. They should not shush children when they ask questions. The conversation should be natural and comfortable so that children feel free to ask questions and sometimes make mistakes. Children will easily pick up if you’re uncomfortable during these conversations, so it’s better to be sure you’re ready to have them rather than jump into them unprepared. Parents should talk with other adults about race and racial issues in order to feel comfortable and well prepared to have those conversations with their children. 

Conversations are important. People may not think they’re significant, but the absence of conversation is doing a whole lot of harm. Their child might have lots of questions they don’t know how to ask. If you open up the dialogue, you’ll be more likely to know more about what they’ve seen, what they’re thinking about, what they’re wondering about. 

For example, their child may be extremely afraid of what they’re seeing on the news. Even for parents who are very careful about what their children watch, they might come into the living room when you don’t expect it. And they can still have concerns even if they’ve heard about these things secondhand. If you don’t have a conversation with them, they may be scared to death. Parents might want to open up the conversation by saying to their child: “We’ve never talked about this before, but I think now we need to as a family. There are lots of things happening with people protesting here in our city and in the country and I really would like to know what you’re thinking or wondering about what’s going on.” Once they tell you, then, as a parent, you can help fill in the gaps, answer their questions and assure them that if they’re worried or afraid, you’ll help keep them as safe as possible. 

Source: University of Pittsburgh

 The Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus today joined the Wolf administration and the nonprofit Voices Underground in celebrating the inaugural awarding of Journeying Toward Freedom grants through the Pennsylvania Tourism Office, according to PLBC Chair and state Rep. Donna Bullock, D-Phila.

The inaugural awards will support Juneteenth celebrations across the commonwealth in 2022 for seven organizations.

"The importance of the awarding of these grants cannot be understated,” Bullock said. “The history of Juneteenth has been only recently officially recognized, but its historic cultural significance had been long celebrated by Black communities in Pennsylvania.

"In order to highlight – even amplify – the importance of this day and Black culture in Pennsylvania, it is critical that we support Juneteenth events statewide, invest in Black businesses and institutions, and target Black travelers in our ongoing tourism initiatives."

Juneteenth celebrates the anniversary of the day in 1865 that news of the Emancipation Proclamation reached Galveston, Texas, and enslaved African Americans became aware that they had been freed. In 2019, Gov. Tom Wolf declared June 19 of each year as Juneteenth National Freedom Day. Last year, President Joe Biden signed legislation recognizing Juneteenth as a federal holiday.

The Journeying Toward Freedom grant program was established by the Pennsylvania Tourism Office in partnership with Voices Underground as part of a commitment to seeing Pennsylvania become the nation’s leader in African American cultural heritage tourism and ensuring the stories of all Pennsylvanians are uplifted and heard. 

Voices Underground is a Chester County-based organization with extensive experience in promoting African American cultural history. It is administering the 2022 Journeying Toward Freedom in partnership with the Pennsylvania Tourism Office.

The grants were awarded based on criteria that included historical significance, communications and marketing plans, educational outreach, volunteer resources and matching funds. The seven recipients of the 2022 Journeying Toward Freedom grants are:

• Juneteenth Lehigh Valley, Lehigh Valley - $10,000.
• NAACP Johnstown Branch, Johnstown - $4,000.
• Sherman Theater, Monroe County - $15,000.
• Stop The Violence, Pittsburgh - $15,000.
• The Happy Valley Adventure Bureau, State College - $15,000.
• Welcome America Inc., Philadelphia - $15,000.
• Young Professionals of Color, Harrisburg - $15,000.

The Pennsylvania Tourism Office is also investing $6.8 million in the promotion of diversity, equity and inclusion to capture a greater tourism market share and its approach to welcoming travelers to the commonwealth in a way that leaves a positive impact on the industry.

“The funding commitment from the tourism office is paramount to ensuring that travelers of all walks of life come to Pennsylvania and leave with an experience that is unmatched anywhere else,” Bullock said. “Black history in Pennsylvania is rich with stories, experiences and sites that should be shared all year long with travelers, truth-seekers and those who want to be educated about the American experience in its entirety.”

The Pennsylvania Tourism Office, housed within the Department of Community and Economic Development, is dedicated to inspiring travel to Pennsylvania. From iconic attractions to hidden gems, tourism in Pennsylvania helps support the state’s economy and creates jobs for local businesses – all while improving residents’ quality of life.

 The Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American and History (NMAAHC) will host a variety of virtual and in-person events and programs highlighting the experiences of African American Juneteenth celebrations. Also known as Freedom Day, Juneteenth marks the moment in United States’ history—June 19, 1865—when the remaining 250,000 enslaved African Americans in Confederate states were legally declared free two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed. In the century-and-a half since, the Juneteenth holiday represents a time to gather with family and community, honor the present and reflect on shared history and tradition. The museum’s programming and educational resources can be found on its award-winning Juneteenth webpage.  

“Long celebrated in my family, Juneteenth is an opportunity for friends and loved ones to gather together in fellowship and food, reflecting on the profound contributions of African Americans to our nation’s progress,” said Kevin Young, the Andrew W. Mellon Director of the National Museum of African American History and Culture.  This year’s commemoration will explore the “sense” of freedom by highlighting the music, food and experiences of African American Juneteenth celebrations. In addition to programs celebrating Juneteenth, the museum will also be displaying the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s original speech from the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. The artifact will be on view from Jun. 9. to Jun. 20. in the “A Changing America” exhibition.  “As we celebrate the first anniversary of the Juneteenth federal holiday, we remember and recognize how the Black community continues to make a way out of no way, overcoming trials and celebrating triumphs while honoring the place and price of freedom.”

Mayor Ed Gainey announces plans for the City of Pittsburgh to support the annual Juneteenth celebration in partnership with Stop the Violence Pittsburgh from June 17 – June 19, 2022.

“The City of Pittsburgh is proud to celebrate this important national holiday,” said Mayor Ed Gainey. “African-American history is indeed American history and deserves to be treated as such. Juneteenth is a reminder that service never stops. We must always ensure that change is realized in our cities and streets after it is enshrined into our laws. Even when we pause to celebrate a milestone, our work continues the very next day.”

The City of Pittsburgh will be providing approximately $60,000 worth of in-kind services to support this year’s Juneteenth celebration. This includes providing the main stage and banners in Point State Park as well as a secondary mobile performance stage to be used throughout the celebration and provide technical support to assist with audio on the main and mobile stages.

The Department of Public Works will be providing support with fencing and barricades as well as setting up the mobile performance stage.  Public Safety will be providing all police services - as required by Point State Park and the City - for parade and traffic control, as well as providing police for security at the celebration itself, crossing guards to assist with pedestrian safety, and EMS to provide coverage for medical emergencies.

On June 19, 2019, Pennsylvania officially designated June 19 a state holiday – “Juneteenth National Freedom Day.” In August 2020, former Mayor Bill Peduto declared that Juneteenth will become a City holiday in 2021; and in October, Allegheny County Council made Juneteenth a county holiday beginning in 2021.

For more information on the 2022 Western Pennsylvania Juneteenth Celebration & Black Music Festival, please visit www.WPAjuneteenth.com.

 The Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy today announced it will celebrate Juneteenth with a concert featuring local artists, as well as a tour of the ‘From Slavery to Freedom’ Garden. Both events will take place Friday, June 10, at the Frick Environmental Center and are free to the public.

The concert, scheduled for 6 to 8 p.m. on the Environmental Center lawn, will feature live music from local artists Sierra Sellars and Chandra Rhyme. Guests are encouraged to register in advance and bring a blanket and picnic. Social distancing and masks are encouraged. The concert is powered by solar energy from the Conservancy’s sustainable energy partner, ZeroFossil.

“We are excited to honor Juneteenth with a fun-filled day at the Frick Environmental Center,” said Catherine Qureshi, president and chief executive officer, Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy. “The Parks Conservancy champions inclusivity and equality, and there’s no better way to celebrate our diverse neighborhoods and communities than through music and the parks.”

The ‘From Slavery to Freedom’ Garden is an outdoor extension of the Heinz History Center’s ‘From Slavery to Freedom’ exhibit. The tour will run from 5 to 6 p.m. and explore the connection between freedom seekers and the land. Registration is open now.

“A tour of the ‘From Slavery to Freedom’ Garden at the Frick Environmental Center is a great way to commemorate Juneteenth,” said Camila Rivera-Tinsley, director of education, Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy. “More than just people came over on the ships during the slave trade – those who were enslaved also brought a wealth of knowledge and skills, which proved essential to their survival and journey to eventual freedom.”

The Frick Environmental Center is a welcome facility, education hub, and gateway to Frick Park. Free and open to all, this cutting-edge facility enhances visitor experience and inspires learners to discover one of Pittsburgh’s largest parks.

In the event of rain, both the tour and concert will be moved to Sunday, June 12.

To learn more about the Parks Conservancy and its Juneteenth events, visit pittsburghparks.org.

 Pittsburgh-Allegheny Co. Freedom Days Fest

Juneteenth Celebration involves Africa American Culture Education l Live Music l Vendors l Speakers l and more

Date of Events:  June 17-June 19

Daily Start Time: 11am and End Time: 9pm

JUNE17th  through JUNE 19th

PROGRAM TBT

Description:   Juneteenth is the celebration of the end of chattel slavery and was first started in Texas in 1865 when the last enslaved people learned that the Civil War was over and that the Union had won the war.

Juneteenth is celebrated in 50 States across America and is the Country's second Independence Day. Our Festival started in 2013 and this year marks the first Pittsburgh and Allegheny County legal holiday in this region. In 2021, the U.S. Congress declared Juneteenth a Federal holiday.

Sponsored By: The Heinz Endowments, Elsie H. Hillman Foundation, PNC Bank, CMU, UPMC, Highmark Wholecare, City of Pittsburgh, PA Lottery, American Eagle Outfitters Foundation, Vibrant Pittsburgh, KeyBank, Pittsburgh Black McDonald's Owner/Operators, Dollar Bank, The Meadows Casino, AAA East, Port Authority, URA, VisitPITTSBURGH, First National Bank, Riverside Auto, AHN, the Allegheny Conference and POISE Foundation.