Juneteenth: A Day of Celebration and Reflection 2022

On June 19, 1865, about two months after the end of the Civil War, word arrived in Galveston Texas, to inform enslaved Africans-American of their freedom. Although the Emancipation Proclamation declared that as of January 1, 1863, all slaves in rebellious Southern states were free, it took more than two years for the news to spread to Texas and for officials there to announce slavery had been abolished. The holiday commemorating that day is now known as Juneteenth, Freedom Day, Jubilee Day and Emancipation Day, as it marks the day all African American people in the South were finally free.

 

Today, Juneteenth is a national holiday celebrated across America with block parties, cookouts and educational events.

 

Local Ways to Get Involved

 

Attend one of the many events taking place in your community to commemorate Juneteenth and support Black-owned businesses.

 

• Charlotte – Black-owned businesses
• Charlotte and surroundings areas – Juneteenth Festival Carolinas
• Concord – Juneteenth events

 

United Way of Central Carolinas has two main programs in place to promote racial equity and advance economic mobility in our communities and in the nonprofit world. Unite Charlotte supports Black and Brown-led grassroots organizations by providing unrestricted funding paired with capacity-building initiatives to help sustain growth. The United Neighborhoods program works by listening to the needs of residents, then United Way funds and guides the work that residents have lifted up in order to build a thriving community.

 

Learn more about Unite Charlotte and United Neighborhoods.