On June 19, 1865, federal troops in Galveston, Texas, announced that enslaved people were freed after the Civil War. While the Emancipation Proclamation was signed in 1863, enslaved people in Texas were not informed of their freedom until two years later. That’s why Juneteenth has come to be known as Emancipation Day and continues to be celebrated each year as a reminder of freedom and community.
Juneteenth is a celebration of emancipation, but we still have a long way to go in the fight for racial justice. This holiday provides a great opportunity to support the Black-led organizations throughout the state who work hard to uplift Wisconsin’s Black communities:
- Black Leaders Organizing for Communities (BLOC)
- Leaders Igniting Transformation (LIT)
- The African American Roundtable
- All In Wisconsin
- Love On Black Women
- The Urban League of Racine and Kenosha
- Freedom Inc.
- Metcalfe Park Community Bridges
- Walnut Way
Juneteenth Events
No matter where you are in Wisconsin, there are plenty of ways to celebrate Juneteenth with your community. Here is a list of some celebrations throughout the state:
Madison: https://diversity.wisc.edu/2022/06/celebrating-juneteenth-2022-in-the-madison-community/
https://downtowngreenbay.com/do/2nd-annual-juneteenth-parade-and-celebration
Racine: https://www.cityofracine.org/ParksRec/Events/Juneteenth/
Kenosha: https://allevents.in/kenosha/juneteenth
Northcentral Wisconsin: https://allevents.in/wausau/juneteenth?ref=amp-similar-scat
