Recognizing Juneteenth around LA

Juneteenth is a federal holiday that recognizes the end of slavery in the United States. The holiday is observed on June 19, the anniversary of the liberation of 250,000 enslaved people in Texas in 1865, over two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued, according to the National Museum of African American History and Culture. According to the UCLA Summer Sessions website, classes and programs will not be in session on Juneteenth. For more information about the Juneteenth holiday from the UCLA Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, click the link below.

History of Juneteenth

The reality that the Emancipation Proclamation did not fully end slavery in the US is not widely known and a result of institutional racism throughout US history, according to a UCLA Newsroom article. For more information about the history of Juneteenth and the importance of teaching Black history from UCLA Newsroom, click the link below.

Recognizing Juneteenth around UCLA

At UCLA, the African American Studies department held its inaugural Juneteenth celebration last year. Though there is not an event planned for this year at the time of publishing, for more information about African American Studies department events, click the link below.

This year, the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine (DGSOM) is hosting the Juneteenth DGSOM Community Festival at the Mathias Botanical Garden on June 18. For more information or to register to attend the event, click the link below.

Though Juneteenth falls between the end of spring quarter and the start of summer sessions, according to the UCLA academic calendar, meaning that campus activities may be limited, there are several ways to recognize Juneteenth around Los Angeles (LA) at the LA Library, LA County Parks and Recreation and LA County Museum of Art. For more information about picnics, talks and other events and programming hosted around LA, click the link below.

For more information about Juneteenth celebrations across LA County from Discover Los Angeles, click the link below.