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Juneteenth Celebrations
June 15, 2023 @ 12:00 pm - June 17, 2023 @ 2:00 pm
Celebrating Juneteenth
Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. Though the Emancipation Proclamation was signed on January 1, 1863, it took two and a half years for slaves in the state of Texas to be told of their freedom. Juneteenth is the celebration of the day when all enslaved individuals became aware of their freedom.
This year we’re celebrating Juneteenth all weekend long. Read on for a look at some of the events happening throughout the community and join us as we celebrate freedom.
2023 Weekend Schedule
THURSDAY, JUNE 15TH
12:00PM – at the Keene Family YMCA
The Freedom Journey Trail opens for self-guided tours
Take a walk through history on the YMCA grounds to learn about important historical events that have shaped the ongoing freedom struggle of Black Americans. The trail will remain open through Friday, June 23rd.
FRIDAY, JUNE 16TH
7:00PM – at Brewbakers | 48 Emerald Street, Keene
W.S. Badger presents “Black Cowboys”
A presentation by Zaron Burnett III, creator and host of the Black Cowboys podcast(available wherever you get your podcasts), followed by virtual screenings of films on related topics.
SATURDAY, JUNE 17TH
11AM-2PM – at Railroad Square | Downtown Keene
Juneteenth Celebration
Organized by the City of Keene’s Human Rights Committee and featuring exhibitors, musical performances, speakers and more. They YMCA Freedom Journey Trail will also be recreated on the bike path starting at Railroad Square and open for self-guided tours throughout the event.
Zaron Burnett speaks about the real history of America’s West
It’s said that 1-in-4 cowboys were Black. Try to picture that. We rarely get a chance to. But the truth of the matter is, Black cowboys led lives of high adventure, days punctuated with shootouts, daring escapes from posses, and from Spanish fortresses, nights spent in smoky saloons with showgirls, or somewhere out underneath a ceiling of stars, the earth their bed. It’s high time we tell their stories. And do so with a gusto and liveliness they’d appreciate. Through their stories we can explore and experience a far larger story of America, a more honest and impressive narrative of our country and its people, as seen through the lens of the Black cowboy. Their path helped lead us to this moment. Come along and take a trip down this rarely-traveled path with our host, Zaron Burnett, the writer and creator of the podcast, Black Cowboys.
