Week of events in Reading will celebrate Juneteenth
Several events spanning more than a week will honor the Juneteenth holiday this year in Reading.
Juneteenth, celebrated annually on June 19, marks the date on which slavery came to an end in the United States. It commemorates that date in 1865 — two years after President Abraham Lincoln 'freed' the slaves with the Emancipation Proclamation — when Union soldiers led by Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas bearing the message that all enslaved people were now free.
The slaves in Galveston were the last remaining in the U.S.
In Reading, the holiday will be celebrated with a host of events running between June 10 and June 19. The theme of this year's celebration is 'Across the Diaspora: Unity, Liberation and the Global Ties That Bind Us.'
The Juneteenth events include:
• Film Screenings — The film 'Juneteenth: Faith and Freedom' will be shown at the Reading Public Museum at 1 p.m. on June 10 and at 2 p.m. on June 11.
• Youth introduction to Juneteenth — Will be held at the Pendora Park Olivet Boys & Girls Club at 2 p.m. on June 12.
• Flag raising ceremony — Will be held at Reading City Park beginning at noon on June 13.
• Kickoff reception — Will be held at the Berks History Center, 940 Centre Avenue, starting at 2 p.m. on June 13.
• Community family barbecue — Will take place at the Berks Lodge #47, 237 Walnut St., from noon to 6 p.m. on June 14th.
• Closing celebration — Will be held June 15 at Holy Trinity Church of God, 130 W. Buttonwood St., starting at 10:15 a.m.
• Free day at the Reading Public Museum — Free admission to the Reading Public Museum and Planetarium will be offered on June 19.
Community members are also encouraged support Black-owned local businesses throughout June.
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