As many of you know, Juneteenth is this Sunday, June 19 — the day honors the end of slavery in the United States and an opportunity to celebrate the emancipation of slaves in the United States. From President Biden’s proclamation last June that made Juneteenth a federal holiday:
On June 19, 1865 — nearly nine decades after our Nation’s founding, and more than 2 years after President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation — enslaved Americans in Galveston, Texas, finally received word that they were free from bondage. As those who were formerly enslaved were recognized for the first time as citizens, Black Americans came to commemorate Juneteenth with celebrations across the country, building new lives and a new tradition that we honor today. In its celebration of freedom, Juneteenth is a day that should be recognized by all Americans. And that is why I am proud to have consecrated Juneteenth as our newest national holiday.
Juneteenth is a day of profound weight and power.
A day in which we remember the moral stain and terrible toll of slavery on our country –- what I’ve long called America’s original sin. A long legacy of systemic racism, inequality, and inhumanity.
There are several Juneteenth celebrations over the next several days, all which can be reached via Metro buses and trains. We suggest planning your trip using Transit — Metro’s official smartphone app. Get Transit here. Metro is running regular weekday service on Monday.
Metro also has some commemorative TAP card for Juneteenth that are still available for $2 at Metro Customer Centers; please call the Customer Center first to ensure they have cards before making a special trip to get one. Load fare onto your new TAP card to ride Metro and 25 additional transit agencies across LA County.
Here are some of the larger Juneteenth events around our region:
Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell’s Juneteenth Celebration
Friday, June 17, 12 – 4 p.m.
Location: Earvin “Magic” Johnson Park, 12645 Wadsworth Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90059
Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell’s Juneteenth Celebration & Resource Fair is a free community event that raises awareness of the historical impact of Juneteenth, connects residents to vital County and community services, and creates a necessary space for celebrating joy and redefining what freedom means today with empowering discussions, performances, and activities. Click here for more details.
Leimert Park Juneteenth Festival
Saturday, June 18, Noon – 9 p.m.
Location: Leimert Park Village
The Leimert Park Juneteenth Festival will be a celebration of Black freedom by honoring the ancestors and local Black communities through art, music, food, and education. The festival will take place on Degnan Boulevard, and will feature three musical stages, two DJ stages, a spoken word stage, and over 300 Black venders. It is not just a market, but a curated experience featuring great food, drinks, music, art, culture, and networking opportunities.
The Long Beach Juneteenth Celebration
Saturday, June 18, 10:30 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Location: Rainbow Lagoon Park, 400 E. Shoreline Drive, Long Beach, CA 90802
While this event is currently sold out, we wanted to include it as Metro is one of the sponsors. Held in Downtown Long Beach, this event will feature live entertainment and guest speakers. Bring your family and friends to come honor this monumental celebration together. Click here for more details.
Second Annual Summer Bash Honoring Juneteenth
Saturday, June 18, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Location: Hollywood Park
This year the celebration will include activities highlighting the Kinsey African American Art and History Collection at SoFi Stadium, educational programs around music and visual arts, free health screenings, activities for kids, a local business expo, food trucks, a hiring fair and much more. Summer Bash will be representative and inclusive of Inglewood and Hollywood Park partners including, but not limited to, Los Angeles Rams, Los Angeles Chargers, NFL, Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl Presented By Stifel and others. Click here for additional details.
Saturday, June 18, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Location: Success Avenue between Century and 103rd
There will be music, street vendors, food, giveaways, community info and more at this event easy to reach via the A Line’s 103rd/Watts Tower Station.
Juneteenth Art x Culture Festival 2022
Sunday, June 19, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Location: Westchester Park, 7000 West Manchester Avenue, Los Angeles, CA
The L.A. Black History Month Festival and Open Arms Food Pantry & Resource Center, in partnership with the Department of Cultural Affairs, will host the Juneteenth Art x Culture Festival 2022. This event will feature notable speakers and performers such as Supervisor Holly Mitchell and Congresswoman Maxine Waters. The event will also feature a marketplace, food, live music, and a children’s zone.
Monday, June 20, 11 a.m.
Location: Parade route starts at intersection of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and proceeds west, then south on Crenshaw Boulevard and then back east on Leimert Boulevard.
The Kingdom Day Parade is annually held in January on the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday. It was canceled the last two years because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead of waiting until 2023 to resume the parade, the parade will be held on the day that the Juneteenth holiday is observed by the federal government. The parade’s grand marshal is Congresswoman Karen Bass and the celebrity grand marshal is Issa Rae.
Categories: Go Metro
What are the phone numbers of the specific customer centers? I’ve never seemed to be able to get ahold of them with the metro help line.