Freedom. Emancipation. Liberation. Juneteenth commemorates the end of slavery in the United States, which officially took place in Texas on June 19, 1865. Only recognized as a federal holiday starting in 2021, Juneteenth became the first new federal holiday since Martin Luther King Jr. Day was adopted in 1983. But Black communities across the country have long celebrated this pivotal day before its federal adoption.
“Juneteenth has been celebrated in Tulsa for as long as I can remember,” says Lauren Corbitt-Evans, executive director of Juneteenth in Tulsa. “I can remember as a young girl going to Juneteenth celebrations. We’d have a big event every year just to celebrate the abolishment of slavery and to celebrate an African-American community that is thriving.”
Over the years, Corbitt-Evans says the celebration experienced different levels of participation until 11 years ago, when her mother, the late Sherry Gamble Smith, was part of an effort to revitalize Juneteenth festivities in Tulsa.
“Every year it has grown and grown and grown,” she says. “I think that first year we started with maybe 300 people, and now we draw over 40,000 people to the festival every year. For me, it has been a family affair, in which our family has come together to be able to do something for our community that is impactful and that is near and dear to who we are and to what we want to display in our community.”
The Tulsa celebration will take place over two weekends, beginning Friday, June 13, starting off with a Black Wall Street small business pitch competition and a fashion show featuring Black designers the following day.
On Thursday, June 19, there will be a Juneteenth concert series and annual block party, which is themed “Family Reunion.” That weekend, folks can take part in a 5K or 1-mile run, followed by a concert and festival replete with food trucks and local vendors.
“What I hope is that everyone is able to find something that speaks to who they are, and everyone is able to celebrate and express themselves in a cultural way,” Corbitt-Evans says. “During this celebration, I also hope that we can provide a valuable amount of resources to the community, as that is one of our main focuses.”
In Oklahoma City, the annual Juneteenth on East celebration kicks off June 19 and runs throughout the weekend. The festivities include a fashion show, 5K run and festival with an interactive “kid zone” with games and crafts, plus performances and around 100 food trucks and local vendors.
“Juneteenth is a time to come together and celebrate our freedoms and our independence,” says Jabee Williams, organizer of Juneteenth on the East. “And it’s a time for people from all backgrounds to celebrate. That’s one thing that I love about the event we do every year – is that you see people from all different walks of life who come to celebrate with us. It’s a celebration for the entire city – everybody’s welcome to celebrate liberation.”
A highlight of Juneteenth on East is the creation of a live mural, where festival goers can watch the artistic work take shape from start to finish.
“This will be our fifth year to present a mural to the city,” Williams says, adding that he hopes people will continue educating themselves year round – not just on Juneteenth – on what liberation and freedom mean in this country.
Alongside the above events, the Oklahoma History Center in OKC offers the educational program “Black Lawmen in Indian Territory” on June 19, and Guthrie is hosting its Juneteenth celebration on June 21 at Mineral Wells Park.
