Photos by Aidan Gallo
On Thursday, June 19, hundreds gathered at the African American Museum in Philadelphia (AAMP) for its 5th annual Juneteenth Block Party, commemorating the holiday’s 160th anniversary. Hosted in partnership with Welcome America, Inc. and VISIT PHILADELPHIA, the vibrant celebration brought together art, history, music, food, and family fun in the city’s heart.
The free outdoor festival offered something for everyone: museum admission, a rock climbing wall, bungee trampolines, and dozens of vendors and artists. Arch Street buzzed with energy as food trucks served up summer favorites alongside African, Jamaican, and American cuisines. For guests 21 and older, a beer garden provided cocktails and other beverages in a relaxed atmosphere.
A lively sea of children in white Wawa hats matched the enthusiasm of the event, despite the sweltering summer heat. Fortunately, Wawa’s smoothie and beverage tent kept guests cool with complimentary drinks, desserts, and hydration stations. Though the heat was intense, the overwhelming sense of community and celebration never waned.
For many families, the day was more than just a festive gathering, it was an opportunity to reflect and educate on the national holiday’s history. Parents Rachel and Brandon Coleman emphasized the importance of sharing Juneteenth’s significance with their children.
“It’s really important that we celebrate our history and keep it alive, and that we don’t let anyone diminish it, especially in the political climate we’re living in,” Rachel said. “We want our children to learn about their heritage. That’s very important to us.”
Brandon added, “Events like this allow us to really dig in and learn about our history and roots that bring our families together.”
Also known as Jubilee Day, Juneteenth marks the end of slavery in the United States. On June 19, 1865, Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, to announce the emancipation of enslaved people, two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation. It wasn’t until 2021 that Juneteenth was officially designated a federal holiday, signed into law by President Joe Biden.
As a relatively new national observance, Juneteenth is still unfamiliar to some. Attendee Mike Miller, a regular at the block party for the past three years, said he hadn’t learned about the holiday growing up in public school.
“We talked about Martin Luther King Jr., we talked about the Emancipation Proclamation, but we never learned about Juneteenth.” Miller shared.
Building awareness and understanding is central to AAMP’s mission. In an interview with FunTimes Magazine, AAMP President and CEO Dr. Ashlee Jordan highlighted the role of museum education in community engagement.
“I believe our role as a museum is to educate but also to create engagement, and from the engagement, once we have the folks here, the attendees here, we hope they’d go back and carry our message with them.” Dr. Jordan said. “Through expansion, the stories that we tell are not just a Philadelphia story but a regional story, a nationwide story…that is the essence of what a museum education can be.”
As the afternoon drew to a close, the spirit of Juneteenth resonated throughout the city, marked by joy, reflection, and a shared commitment to preserving history and culture for future generations.
