In the 155 years since, June 19 has come to be known as Juneteenth, an American holiday commemorating black liberation. Here is a roundup of virtual and in-person celebrations planned to celebrate Juneteenth in Round Rock and Pflugerville.
- In Celebration of Freedom: A Pflugerville Juneteenth
Black Pflugerville and the Pflugerville Black Business Builders will host a social distancing-friendly Juneteenth celebration June 20 in Pflugerville. The event will include a historical account of the holiday, storytelling and spoken word presentations, African dancing, a car parade and a candlelight vigil, among other events. Opening remarks will be provided by Black Pflugerville President Alicia Jackson and Pflugerville Mayor Victor Gonzales. Due to the coronavirus, attendees are asked to wear masks and adhere to social distancing provisions. Free. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Lake Pflugerville, Pflugerville. www.facebook.com/events/1498759273618784 - Austin Community College virtual Juneteenth commemoration
ACC will host a virtual conversation between students and employees to discuss equity and inclusion efforts, per a June 16 ACC news release. The event will include poetry reading and discussion sessions with community leaders, including Austin NAACP President Nelson Linder, ACC Student Affairs Specialist Gia Jones and Kharyee Williams, director of the ACC Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation Campus Center.
“We need to recognize and acknowledge the wrongs of the past and address the consequences of those wrongs, to heal our societal divide,” ACC Senior Advising Specialist Darrell Merriweather said in the release. “Juneteenth allows everyone an opportunity to better understand African American culture. By taking the time to discuss the emancipation of 1865, we can learn how to interact with each other and come together to make our community stronger.”
The event is scheduled for June 19 from 11 a.m.-noon. - CANCELED: Juneteenth Rhythm and Ribs Festival
As a result of crowd restrictions imposed due to the coronavirus pandemic, the city of Round Rock has canceled its annual Juneteenth Rhythm and Ribs Festival. Updates for the 2021 event will be posted on the Round Rock Parks & Recreation Department's Facebook and city webpages, per a PARD news update. www.roundrocktexas.gov/departments/parks-and-recreation/special-events/juneteenth-rhythm-ribs-festival - Stay Black and Live: Virtual Juneteenth Celebration
"Stay Black and Live" is a virtual celebration organized by the Austin Parks & Recreation Department's George Washington Carver Museum, Cultural and Genealogy Center in partnership with Six Square; Greater East Austin Youth Association; Jump On It; Natasha Harper-Madison, District 1 Austin City Council member; and the Austin Public Library. The celebratory event includes film screenings, music, poetry readings, a dance party, an online raffle and a barbecue food distribution for communities heavily impacted by COVID-19. Free. 6-10 p.m. www.juneteenthcentraltexas.com
