About JUNETEENTH
The significance and celebration of Juneteenth carries a lot of weight for African Americans: celebrating our emancipation from chattel slavery, but never forgetting the nightmare of slavery; celebrating the journey of our ancestors, and of our resilience as a people for what we have had to overcome as a result of the systemic legacy of slavery and in spite of the obstacles that were placed before us; celebrating our unique culture, made in America, but rich with our African heritage; celebrating the contributions we have made to the fabric of America, notwithstanding our humble beginnings, and finally a re-commitment to the fight for equal justice under the law for Black Americans.
Juneteenth-in-Berkeley, held annually in June on Father's Day, in south Berkeley’s five-block Alcatraz-Adeline corridor has been produced by Berkeley Juneteenth Association, Inc., a non-profit, serving the community since 1986. They rebranded as Berkeley Juneteenth Cultural Celebrations to pursue and sponsor more cultural events throughout the year. While the JUNETEENTH FESTIVAL has provided us with the opportunity to celebrate African American music, culture, and traditions, BLACK HISTORY CELEBRATIONS, has expanded our reach by allowing us to highlight significant contributions African Americans have made to the city of Berkeley, California, and the nation.
