An afternoon of music, speakers, remembrance and fellowship will commemorate the historical day that the Emancipation Proclamation was finally enacted for all African Americans. The modern Juneteenth Celebration and DC Music Festival will commemorate the 140th anniversary of the day, June 19, 1865, when Union troops reached Galveston, Texas, to establish the Emancipation Proclamation as law in the last state of Confederate rebellion – two and a half years after the date of the Emancipation Proclamation on Jan. 1, 1863.The Juneteenth Celebration and DC Music Festival will be held on Sunday, June 19, from noon to 5 p.m. at the African American Civil War Memorial (U and 12th Streets NW). The site in case of rain is the Dynasty Ethiopian Restaurant (14th Street and Florida Avenue NW).
The afternoon will be hosted by Jared Ball of the DC Statehood Green Party and Blackademics on WPFW. The event's organizers are Head-Roc.com, Upset The Setup, members of Empower DC, Left Turn magazine, Organized C.O.U.P., Thermite Records, Jubilant Sound, the African American Holiday Association and Abdir-Rahim Muhammad of the Hung Tao Choi Mei Leadership Institute, in association with the African American Civil War Memorial.
Scheduled musical performers include the Head-Roc War Machine, Mello D and the Rados, Machetres, DJ Sam "The Man" Burns, Flash Gordan, DJ Curtis Lee, DJ Stylus, DJ Dub, DJ Vince Brown and the Lucky Lions Martial Arts Troop. For more information, send an e-mail to juneteenth@head-roc.com, or go to this website.