Juneteenth in Boulder
Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day, commemorates the official end of slavery. While the Emancipation Proclamation officially ended slavery in 1863, enforcement in all the states took several years. It wasn’t until June 19, 1865, when Union soldiers reached Galveston, TX, that all enslaved people in the country were finally freed.
2023 Juneteenth Events
Saturday, June 17 from 6 to 9 p.m. - Juneteenth Poetry Open Mic
From its Galveston, Texas origin in 1865, the observance of June 19th as the African American Emancipation Day has spread across the United States and beyond. Today, Juneteenth commemorates African American freedom and emphasizes education and achievement. It is a time for reflection and rejoicing. To honor this occasion, OUT Boulder County is uplifting Black and queer voices through poetry, art, food, and community.
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Where: The Gallery @ Bus Stop Apartments (4895 Broadway, Boulder, CO)
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Register for this event through OUT Boulder County's sign-up form.
Juneteenth 2022
In 2022, for the second year, the City of Boulder supported Juneteenth celebrations through Human Relations Commission grants to the NAACP Boulder County and Executive Committee, African American Cultural Events, BoCo. These celebrations honored and better educated the community of the independence that Juneteenth represents for Black or African American community members and the history of this county.
Watch the 2022 Juneteenth Celebration
Juneteenth 2021
The inaugural Boulder County Juneteenth Celebration was funded in part by the Human Relations Commission (HRC), the Executive Committee for African American Cultural Events (ECAACE) and NAACP Boulder County Branch. This event included performances, interviews with Boulder students working on issues of racial equity and an interview with Ms. Opal Lee, “The 94 years old Grandmother of Juneteenth”!