The South Dallas Culture Center (SDCC) will be celebrating Juneteenth with the highly anticipated unveiling of the extraordinary Juneteenth mural, created by renowned artist JD Moore. The event marks a momentous occasion in the celebration of freedom, heritage, and the African American experience.
The South Dallas Cultural Center Juneteenth celebration will take place from 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Monday, June 19, 2023 at South Dallas Culture Center, 3400 S Fitzhugh Ave. in Dallas, 75210.
Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States, when it was announced in Galveston, Texas in 1865, two and a half years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863.
Major General Gordon Granger arrived at Galveston with news that the war had ended and that slaves were free. Because of the small amount of Union troops in the South, many states did little to enforce the executive order. With the surrender of General Lee in April of 1865 and the arrival of General Granger’s forces, they were finally able to influence and overcome the resistance.
On January 1, 1980, Juneteenth became an official state holiday through the efforts of Al Edwards, an African American state legislator. On June 17th, 2021, President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law establishing Juneteenth as a federal holiday.
The observance of June 19th as the African American Emancipation Day has spread across the U.S. as cities and organizations come together in appreciation, reconciliation and commemoration.
Juneteenth celebrates African American freedom, while emphasizing education and achievement, and encouraging continuous self-development. It is a day, a week, and in some areas, a month marked with celebrations, community, food, and family gatherings.
South Dallas Cultural Center seeks to promote a more equitable, cooperative, and empathetic community by engaging the public with art and cultural experiences influenced by the African Diaspora.
The South Dallas Cultural Center Juneteenth celebration will take place from 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Monday, June 19, 2023 at South Dallas Culture Center, 3400 S Fitzhugh Ave. in Dallas, 75210.
For more information, please contact the South Dallas Culture Center at (214) 671-0058 or visit https://sdcc.dallasculture.org.
