Celebrating juneteenth 2023 in washtenaw county!

This year’s local Juneteenth celebrations are just around the corner and BBBS of Washtenaw is so excited to share-and participate in-some of the planned activities. 

Juneteenth (short for "June Nineteenth") commemorates the day in 1865 that federal troops finally arrived in Galveston, Texas to free all enslaved people in the state, almost three years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed. While it has only officially been a federal holiday since 2021, it is considered the longest running African American holiday in the country overall, and will be marked by some fantastic activities here in Washtenaw County. 

Ypsilanti Juneteenth Celebration 

Once again, the Ypsilanti Juneteenth Celebration is shaping up to be a wonderful event! This year’s event will run June 16th, 17th, and 18th, and will include hustle lessons, a kids’ corner filled with games and other fun activities, church services on Sunday, a Gospel and Giggles comedy hour, and an almost 5 hour music festival on Saturday.  

For more information about Ypsi’s event, check out this feature article in Concentrate! 

Ann Arbor Activities

There will be several different events happening throughout Ann Arbor this weekend, including the 3rd annual University of Michigan Juneteenth Symposium. This year’s theme is Systems Check: Exploring Structural Solutions to Systemic Racism and everyone in the community is invited to join the university as the panel discusses highlighted topics such as housing discrimination and voter suppression. Other university events include a prayer breakfast, a Black film festival, and a tent in the Top of the Park Kids Zone.

Click here for a full list of U of M sponsored events and click here for the calendar of other Juneteenth events happening around Ann Arbor. 
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BBBS of Washtenaw is thrilled to be a part of the Ypsilanti Juneteenth Celebration again this year-look for us at the Kids’ Corner!