Mayor Turner, community leaders announce citywide Juneteenth celebrations
From Freedmen’s Town to the Fifth Ward to Acres Homes, Independence Heights, and historic neighborhoods throughout the city, Houstonians will have an array of events to attend during the upcoming Juneteenth holiday.
On Monday, Mayor Sylvester Turner joined the Houston City-Wide Juneteenth Planning Committee to announce multiple multicultural celebrations recognizing Juneteenth and its importance to history, freedom, and the Houston – Galveston region.
The news conference marked the first time in the city’s history that a unified effort is promoting Juneteenth events hosted by organizations throughout Houston.
“I am pleased to announce that our community has joined forces to celebrate freedom in commemoration of Juneteenth. These events are open to everyone, and we want each celebration to impact our community and leave a lasting impression on generations of people. And if you are like me, you plan to hit them all,” said Mayor Turner.
During the news conference, participants announced the launch of a new website designed to track celebrations hosted by communities, organizations, and institutions around the city. Each is designed to showcase Houston’s rich history, diversity and inclusion. For additional information, visit https://www.juneteenthhouston.org/.
The mayor was joined by District H city council member Karla Cisneros, Zion Escobar, director of Houston Freedmen’s Town Conservancy, Tanya Debose, Independence Heights Redevelopment Council, Harrison Guy – 5th Ward Cultural Arts District, Ramon Manning, Emancipation Park Conservancy, and Miguell Ceaser, Lead Archivist of the African American Library at the Gregory School, Necole Irvin, Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs, the Houston Heritage Society and Janice Weaver, Mayor’s Office of Community Relations.
“While we know this isn’t every Juneteenth event taking place, we hope that this is the beginning of deeper collaboration and connection within the Houston Galveston Region. This story is a regional story, and this is the birthplace, and this is the home,” said Zion Escobar.
