Juneteenth, a centuries-old tradition that finds it’s origins in 1865 Galveston, Texas, has experienced a resurgence as of late with an initiative for the holiday’s federal recognition. To commemorate the occasion, which celebrates African-American empowerment and the abolition of slavery, the New Orleans Juneteenth Committee has organized a “Celebrating Freedom Festival” to be held at Congo Square in Armstrong Park on June 16 and 17, Father’s Day weekend.

Dee-1 at the 2012 Congo Square Rhythms Festival. Photo by Kim Welsh.

A linguistic conjunction of June and nineteenth, the celebration of Juneteenth is in honor of the day when emancipation was finally announced and enforced in Galveston, Texas by Union troops after the end of the Civil War. The holiday has since evolved into a more expansive national celebration of African-American cultural heritage. Also referred to as Freedom Day or Emancipation Day (though Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation was signed on New Year’s Day in 1963), the event is recognized as a state holiday in 41 states, including Louisiana, and has strong roots in the South.

The festival in Congo Square will showcase freedom-focused works by musicians, dancers and poets; exhibitions by local artists and historians; a “Kids Tent” with educational workshops, story-telling and games; and an impressive array of crafts and delectable dishes from local food vendors. The 18-artist+ music lineup includes Dee-1, Corey Henry & the Treme Funktet, Tank Ball & the Black Star Bangas, the Baby Boyz Brass Band, and Chuck Perkins & the Big Easy Allstars, among others. Organized civic dialogues between scholars and community members on topics of black youth and fatherhood will also be underway throughout the event. The festival lasts from 12 to 7 p.m. each day and is free and open to the public.

Baby Boyz Brass Band. Photo by Kim Welsh.

The New Orleans African American Museum will also hold “The Family Reunion,” a festival kick-off from 6 to 10 p.m. on Friday at the museum. The pre-festival soiree will include historical reenactments by Kai Livers and Torrance Taylor, music by MikhaliZed and Glen David Andrews, and edibles from Smoke ‘N Spice.

The festival is a part of the New Orleans Juneteenth committee’s initiative to raise awareness and excitement about the holiday and to celebrate the historical achievements of the local African-American community against oppression. For more info, visit neworleansjuneteenth.net.