Juneteenth Celebration!

Brooklyn Park is one of the most culturally rich areas in the Midwest with more than one-fifth of its residents born in other countries. The community can enjoy several restaurants that feature a wide range of ethnic cuisines. We also have an active sister city exchange program with Kakata, Liberia and a developing one with Garowe, Somalia.

Juneteenth is a special day for many in Brooklyn Park and Nationwide. Juneteenth, celebrated on June 19; is the day back in 1865 when the enslaved people of Galveston, Texas found out they had been emancipated. The Emancipation Proclamation had been formalized on January 1, 1863; two and a half years before it was announced to the enslaved in Texas.

On June 17, 2021, President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law. This officially makes June 19 a federal holiday and giving national recognition to the emancipation.

There are many ways to celebrate with your family and reflect on the history and future of Juneteenth:

• Plan a special meal and gather the family together to acknowledge Juneteenth. Decorate your table and door with a Juneteenth theme and discuss what the celebration means today. Make specific pledges to understand our history for the remainder of the year and ask for support in accomplishing your goals. Check out Angelea’s Soul Food Kitchen in Brooklyn Park.
• Encourage your neighborhood to display Juneteenth yard signs.
• Take some personal time to reflect…then look forward. Make a wish. Make a plan. Write it down.
  

  Photos from Juneteenth Event at Zanewood Rec Center