KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Juneteenth is an official federal holiday and there are plenty of events to look forward to! It's a national celebration that commemorates the day when a community of slaves in Galveston, Texas were informed of the abolition of slavery on June 19, 1865 — 2 years after the Emancipation Proclamation.
Juneteenth will begin in Knoxville with the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Commission Parade. In collaboration with the Beck Cultural Center, the march will start at Chilhowee Park, 3300 E. Magnolia Ave., and run through Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue and end at Dr. Walter Hardy Park.
Registration will begin at 8:30 a.m. and step off will start off at 10:00 a.m. Afterward, the Beck Cultural Exchange Center’s Annual Juneteenth Celebration will begin at Dr. Walter Hardy Park.
For its Juneteenth celebration, the center will unveil its new permanent public exhibit — the Emancipation Exhibit. It is meant to commemorate Juneteenth and emancipation in Tennessee on August 8th, 1863. Afterward, there will be a special Juneteenth Memorial Tribute where illuminated white roses will be on display.
Also, the Mabry-Hazen House will be hosting special tours centered around the Juneteenth celebration. Mabry-Hazen House will share stories of local enslaved communities and their stories of liberation.
As part of its "A New Birth of Freedom: Stories of Emancipation at Mabry-Hazen House" event, they will explore how enslaved communities fought against America's institution of slavery and found their personal liberties.
The museum will be open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and tours will be held at each hour. While admission is free, Mabry-Hazen House does warn that tours will be limited to 12 people at a time.