Spread the word: Juneteenth festivities are planned for June 20 in Des Moines and Cedar Rapids.
As the country revs up for the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, it’s important to remember that for millions of Americans, its message rang hollow until almost a century later. Two years after President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, the news finally reached the last enslaved people, in Galveston, Texas, on June 19, 1865, a milestone now called Juneteenth.
Organizers of Iowa Juneteenth have planned a full lineup of events this month in Des Moines, including the annual Neighbors’ Day Festival on June 20 at Western Gateway Park. On the same day in Cedar Rapids, the African American Museum of Iowa hosts a celebration of its own with more than 40 participating vendors, nonprofits and other local groups, including the men’s chorus from the Mount Zion Baptist Church. Lift every voice and sing.
