Celebrating Juneteenth in Topeka

Now that Juneteenth is a national holiday, many people are becoming aware of the significance of Juneteenth celebrations. This year Topeka Juneteenth events will end with a Juneteenth Town Hall at the library at 7pm on Juneteenth, June 19, 2023. Dale Cushinberry will discuss the history of celebrating Juneteenth and have a public conversation about celebrating Juneteenth in the future. Join us in person in Marvin Auditorium or register to attend by Zoom.

Every year for the past 10 years, the Topeka Family and Friends Juneteenth Celebration, Inc. committee has celebrated Juneteenth. For almost five years the National Juneteenth Observance Foundation has celebrated raising the Juneteenth flag as the beginning event of Juneteenth celebrations all over the nation. Wherever you are in the country, local Juneteenth groups raise the Juneteenth flag at noon. Other events include parades, music, food, history and heritage events. The Topeka Family and Friends Juneteenth Celebration Inc. also are responsible for the Annual Miss Kansas Juneteenth Pageant.

History of Juneteenth

Juneteenth celebrates the official end to slavery with the reading of General Order #3 in Galveston, Texas, on June 19, 1865. The order liberated all slaves and a huge celebration followed. This celebration turned into a tradition that is widely celebrated across America. Juneteenth marks the end of the Civil War and celebrates the freedom and equality earned by the Union, which included more than 200,000 black troops.

The commission chairman Dr. Joseph L. Green said, “We are celebrating a people who overcame adversity and impossible odds. We want to use this moment to create legacy, to build people and communities.”

Be sure attend this year’s Topeka Juneteenth Celebration to connect with the Topeka community and learn more about African American history.