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America at 250 | Civic Holidays | In Person

Juneteenth at the NCC

Date
Friday, June 19
Time
10:00 am - 5:00 pm EST
price
Free, In-Person
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Juneteenth marks our country’s second Independence Day, when the promises of “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness” in the Declaration of Independence became more fully realized for millions of formerly enslaved Black Americans. Museum programs will highlight the history of the holiday and stories of freedom fighters from the Reconstruction era, including Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, and Frances Ellen Watkins Harper.

Admission to the Center is free on Juneteenth to celebrate this national holiday.

 

Juneteenth Program at the Center

Juneteenth and the Constitution
Juneteenth and the Constitution

10:45 a.m. and 2:45 p.m., Kenneth C. Griffin Great Hall Overlook
Join a museum educator as we walk through the events of June 19, 1865, to commemorate Juneteenth and the end of slavery in the United States. Together, we’ll examine the Emancipation Proclamation, the 13th Amendment, and how these battles for freedom and equality shaped the nation.

Emancipation Proclamation and the 54th Massachusetts Regiment
Emancipation Proclamation and the 54th Massachusetts Regiment

11:45 a.m. and 3:45 p.m., Civil War and Reconstruction exhibit
Join us for an inside look at why President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, what it meant for more than 4 million Americans held in bondage, and how it led to the creation of the first Black regiments in the war.

Kids Town Hall: Freedom Fighters
Kids Town Hall: Freedom Fighters

12:45 p.m., Kirby Auditorium
Join us for a special Kids Town Hall with some famous guests—including abolitionists Frances Ellen Watkins Harper and Bishop Richard Allen—sharing their experiences in the fight for freedom and equality.

The Four Harriets of History
The Four Harriets of History

1:45 p.m., Kenneth C. Griffin Great Hall Overlook
Visitors can explore the lives of four American women — Harriet Robinson Scott, Harriet Tubman, Harriet Jacobs, and Harriet Beecher Stowe — who confronted slavery through literature, lawsuits, and direct action in efforts to free themselves and others from bondage.

Juneteenth Crafts
Juneteenth Crafts

10 a.m.–5 p.m., Kenneth C. Griffin Great Hall Overlook
Learn about and celebrate our second Independence Day at our craft tables! Make your own Juneteenth flag and create a zine, or mini magazine, about the history of the holiday and how it is celebrated today.

Freedom Fighter Story Corner & Quiet Room
Freedom Fighter Story Corner & Quiet Room

10 a.m.–5 p.m., Freedom Classroom
Visitors can explore the lives of famous Black American freedom fighters in our Story Corner room. Read books about the incredible lives of Ida B. Wells, Harriet Tubman, Henry Box Brown, and more! Or simply relax and color in this quiet space filled with calming blue lights and sensory bins.