Juneteenth

About Juneteenth

Known as Emancipation Day and America’s second Independence Day – marking the end of slavery in the United States – Juneteenth became a federal holiday in 2021 and a Minnesota state holiday in 2023. The day presents an opportunity to celebrate, educate, and create.  

Since 2022, the Minnesota Humanities Center has proudly hosted a series of commemorative events to create greater awareness and understanding of the Juneteenth holiday.

As we look to celebrations and exhibits taking place throughout Minnesota and the nation that recognize America’s 250^th Anniversary, we hope to provide an opportunity for us to recognize the strength of those who fought to fulfill America’s promise, become more knowledgeable about America’s history, and envision an America where the inalienable rights articulated in the Declaration of Independence become a reality for all Americans.

Our Juneteenth Events

Information on 2026 event dates, locations, and registration will be available soon.

MHC is committed to growing our programs around the origins and future of Juneteenth and the ongoing effects of slavery in this country.

In 2025, we hosted four Juneteenth events where our guests were able to gather, build community, and learn – in a truthful and authentic way – about America’s history.

The beautiful Minnesota History Center was the setting for the Feeding Our Souls: The Essence of Juneteenth Joy conversation with culinary historian, best-selling author, and Netflix-featured Dr. Jessica B. Harris, and food tasting with local Black chefs, who served up delicious treats representing their heritage and the African diaspora.

Sherrilyn Ifill – author, renowned attorney and legal scholar, and Vernon Jordan Professor of Law of Civil Rights at Howard University School of Law – joined us at Quincy Hall in Minneapolis for our annual Juneteenth Brunch and a timely discussion on the 14^th Amendment, the erosion of due process, and the state of our democracy.

The Reconstruction Destructed film premiere, held at the Capri Theater in Minneapolis, showcased the sixth in the “Juneteenth Reckoning with Slavery” film series, which focuses on the most misunderstood period in American History and why it remains critically important to understand today. This film features Minnesota Federal District Court Judge Jerry Blackwell, Bryan Stevenson, Esq., Executive Director of the Equal Justice Initiative, Dr. Josie R. Johnson, University of Minnesota Regent and First Lady of Minnesota Civil Rights, and Dr. Duchess Harris, Special Assistant to the Provost and American Studies Professor at Macalester College. Some of the Filming of Reconstruction Destructed occurred at The Legacy Museum in Montgomery, Alabama, one of America’s premiere museums examining America’s history of racial injustice.

The Kumbayah: The Juneteenth Story theatrical production took our audience on a journey from the stage at lovely The O’Shaughnessy Auditorium at St. Catherine’s University into the past, addressing the origins of Juneteenth and the imagined impact on the lives of individuals hearing the news of the Emancipation Proclamation and that the Civil War was over. This event was presented in partnership with Sweet Potato Comfort Pie.

2025 Juneteenth Commemoration Sponsors

Corporate, community and philanthropic support help us bring programming to the people of Minnesota. Thank you to the following partners for their generous sponsorship of MHC’s 2025 Juneteenth commemoration.