Juneteenth marks the day when enslaved people in Texas finally received word from the U.S. government that they were free–a full two years after Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation in 1863. As federal troops arrived in Galveston, U.S. Gen. Gordon Granger 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.”

With this short, but powerful statement, 250,000 enslaved people were officially freed from Texas soil in the spring of 1865. While the event marked the end of slavery in America, it also signified how long slavery had continued in areas void of Union control during the Civil War. Because of this, many enslavers from outside the Lone Star State moved there with the idea that it was a safe haven to resume their enslavement and poor treatment of African Americans.

Of course, this second proclamation did not automatically free every enslaved individual, either, as slave owners withheld the information until after harvest season—putting the official release of enslaved people in Texas in late November of 1865. That December, slavery was formally abolished with the addition of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution.

With their newfound freedom, African Americans in Texas organized an annual celebration called “Jubilee Day” in 1866 to commemorate the monumental event. As Black people migrated to different parts of the country, the tradition continued to spread. In 1979, Texas became the first state to mark Juneteenth as an official holiday.

In 2021, 155 years after the proclamation was made in Galveston, Congress passed a resolution establishing Juneteenth as a national holiday. President Biden signed it into law on June 17, 2021.

As Sarasota celebrates the federal holiday, Newtown Alive’s community engagement director, Walter Gilbert, says the holiday is about recognition Black people never really got.

“At no time [until now] was there official recognition after the Civil War that Black people were free, of what happened in Texas, or creating an honorary day for those who were freed last," he explains.

As an NAACP branch organization, Newtown Alive specializes in a range of projects and initiatives dedicated to preserving Black history, advocating for voter registration, providing equal opportunity school programs and promoting equality in and around the community. One of its major recent projects is the Museum of African American History and Culture in Sarasota.

“We are an organization that tries to communicate who Black people are and how they fit into the makeup of Sarasota County, including economically, socially and historically,” Gilbert says.

How does Gilbert suggest celebrating Juneteenth?

“Learn your history and reflect on where we’ve come from,” he says. “We are having festivals in Newtown, so come join and recognize that this actually took place and happened.” Celebrations are also slated to take place at the 13th Avenue Dream Center in Bradenton.

And while the nation has come a long way since 1865, there is still much work. Juneteenth reminds us that there is still a struggle to be seen and treated equally as a Black person in our country.

How to Celebrate Juneteenth 2026 in Sarasota and Manatee Counties

🎉 Newtown Juneteenth Street Fest

Thursday, June 18, and Friday, June 19, 4-8 p.m., 1950 Dr. Martin Luther King Way, Sarasota

The schedule includes Caribbean Street Fest on Thursday and Juneteenth Freedom Fest on Friday, closing out the seventh annual celebration of freedom, history and community in Newtown. This event is free. For more information, click here.

🖼️ Unearthing Our Roots: A Juneteenth Visual Poetry Workshop

Friday, June 19, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Leonard Reid House, 2529 N. Orange Ave., Sarasota

Join Ringling Museum Eleanor Merritt Fellow Camilo Loaiza Bonilla as guests learn to creatively preserve and share favorite family photos. Participants are invited to bring a photo from their past and use it to create collage and visual poetry. All supplies will be provided for this fun family workshop. Registration required. This event is free. Click here for more information.

🎭 Juneteenth Arts Festival at Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe

Friday, June 19, and Saturday, June 20, Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe, 1012 N. Orange Ave., Sarasota

The festival opens Friday at 5:30 p.m. with the Juneteenth Arts Gallery, featuring African artifacts from the African American Cultural Resource Center, African face jugs from ceramist Osa Atoe and digital illustration works from Tampa artist Yosnier Miranda. Free light bites will be catered by G’s Southern Kitchen and drinks will be available for purchase. The evening continues at 7 p.m. with “Beats, Words & Movement,” a mainstage presentation directed and hosted by WBTT founder and artistic director Nate Jacobs. Saturday’s festivities begin at 1 p.m. with live music, spoken word, African dance, short films from local filmmakers and Ringling College of Art and Design students, visual art, workshops, vendors and performances by WBTT artists and students. The festival concludes with a 7:30 p.m. performance of Brian L. Boyd’s ENIGMA. This event is free, but registration is encouraged. For more information, click here. 

🌳 City of Sarasota Juneteenth Celebration and Tree Giveaway

Saturday, June 20, 1-6 p.m., Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Way between N. Links Avenue and Pershing Avenue, Sarasota

This free, family-friendly event will include live music, food, vendors and family fun. As part of the celebration, the city will give away 75 trees to City of Sarasota residents while supplies last at the corner of N. Links Avenue and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Way. Species include avocado, loquat, mango, red maple and red mulberry, and city arborists will be on site to help with selection and care. Proof of City of Sarasota residency is required. This event is free. For more information, click here. 

❤️ Manatee Juneteenth Community Festival: Family Reunion

Saturday, June 20, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., 13th Avenue Dream Center, 922 24th St. E., Bradenton

Hosted by Sharon Jefferson and Recess Education, the free community celebration includes culturally inspired food, games and activities, music, community resources, family fun, voter registration and a children’s corridor. This event is free. For more information, email [email protected] or click here. 

🎶 Juneteenth Celebration: Caribbean vs. R&B Night

Friday, June 19, 9:30 p.m., Georgie’s UTC Restaurant & Bar, 229 N. Cattlemen Road, #69, Sarasota

The 21-and-older event features music by DJ Sliik Nick and DJ Mr. Rip, with dancehall, reggae, soca, Afrobeats, hip-hop and R&B. VIP bottle service is available, and reservations can be made by calling 941-952-5001. For more information, click here.