Birmingham schedules Juneteenth parade and BCRI celebrations

When Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey signed legislation marking Juneteenth as an official Alabama state holiday on June 19, Brenda Ward was on hand.

The bill makes Juneteenth, the day that commemorates the end of slavery after the Civil War, an official state holiday.

Ward serves as director of the National Juneteenth Observance Foundation of Alabama (NJOFA), and now she wants to see it grow into more an than annual observance.

“I’m looking forward to it being taught in school more as well as in the churches through classes or the community centers,” she said.

NJOFA will hold its annual Juneteenth Freedom Day Parade in Kelly Ingram Park in downtown Birmingham beginning at 9 a.m. Thursday. NJOFA promotes celebrations throughout the state, including parades, concerts and other events.

Juneteenth commemorates the day in 1865 when enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas, learned of their freedom, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued. It is celebrated as the end of slavery in the United States and is considered the longest-running African American holiday. In 2021, Juneteenth was declared a federal holiday.

The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute (BCRI) has a full day of free events on Thursday, June 19, beginning at 11 a.m.

Reserve free tickets for Freedom Day and experience BCRI’s historic galleries with free admission to explore the stories of those who fought for civil rights and the legacy that continues today.

Enjoy activities throughout the day:

• Juneteenth: Why We Celebrate with historian Barry McNealy.
• A community village with community and cultural partners.
• BCRI Kids’ Zone with hands-on STREAM activities.
• Food trucks.
• Live broadcast by 98.7 KISS FM and 95.7 JAMZ.
• Mural painting with studio 2500.
• R.U. hip hop.
• Line dancing with Ebony Arrington’s “Slide Tribe” and DJ Vegas.

This story previously appeared on The Birmingham Times’ website.