As Americans marked the weekend heading into Monday’s Juneteenth holiday in varying ways, the mood in Greater Boston was decidedly a celebratory one.
Deemed a state holiday in 2020 and a federal holiday in 2021, June 19 commemorates the arrival of Union soldiers in Galveston, Texas, in 1865 — two years after the Emancipation Proclamation — to inform enslaved people of their freedom and the end of the Civil War. And there was no shortage of events marking the occasion in Boston this past weekend, and stretching back into last week.
Last Wednesday saw the first Juneteenth concert on Boston Common; on Friday, Embrace Boston’s Juneteenth Block Party was held at Roxbury Community College; and this weekend saw public parties in Brookline, Franklin Park, and Hyde Park, as well as some special ceremonies at Fenway Park during Sunday’s Red Sox game.
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Take a look at photos from some of those events below.
Benita Brown, with The Voices of Embrace, is still pumped after coming off stage after their performance at the first Juneteenth Concert on Boston Common last week. – Pat Greenhouse/Globe StaffPeople mingle around the Embrace sculpture as the first Juneteenth Concert is held near nearby on Boston Common last week. – Pat Greenhouse/Globe StaffDanouka Medor and Nathanaelle Gaspard put up orange balloons around a mural showing the history of Fort Hill and its residents. The Embrace Boston’s Juneteenth Block Party was held Friday outside at Roxbury Community College featuring music, food, and local vendors. – John Tlumacki/Globe StaffBarbara Jocelyn holds a display of vinyl albums that are being hung at a booth at Embrace Boston’s Juneteenth Block Party last Friday outside Roxbury Community College. – John Tlumacki/Globe Staff Mayowa Osinubi from Roxbury dances to music playing at Embrace Boston’s block party. – John Tlumacki/Globe Staff Alyah Console, 7, of Boston gets flowers painted on her face at Embrace Boston’s Juneteenth Block Party. – John Tlumacki/Globe StaffRoss Johnson of Boston twirls with his son, Maxwell Johnson, while the 3-year-old waits to get his face painted at the Juneteenth block party in Brookline. – Pat Greenhouse/Globe StaffLourdes Rosado of Brookline and her 4-year-old daughter, Lucia Ordas, paint a rock at Brookline’s Juneteenth block party. – Pat Greenhouse/Globe StaffKristen Warren, left, of Brookline buys an essential oils fragrance from Boston vendor DebRa Horne-Bramble at the Juneteenth party in Brookline. – Pat Greenhouse/Globe StaffRiha Reis, 2, from Dorchester chases her sister, Jayda, 9, who drives a battery-powered mini Mercedes along a sidewalk at the Juneteenth celebration in Franklin Park. – John Tlumacki/Globe StaffChef Brian Alleyne, center, has a chuckle as he cooks chicken legs on his charcoal grill at Franklin Park Saturday. – John Tlumacki/Globe Staff Louis Beco from Hyannis gets his charcoal grill going at Franklin Park Saturday. – John Tlumacki/Globe StaffAyden Jackson, 17, bundles up during the rain and cool weather at Saturday’s Juneteenth Celebration at Franklin Park. – John Tlumacki/Globe Staff WWE announcer Samantha Irvin sings the “Star-Spangled Banner” after singing “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” known as the Black National Anthem, as part of Juneteenth ceremonies before the Boston Red Sox game Sunday. – AP Photo/Steven SenneJuneteenth flag designer Ben Haith delivers a ceremonial first pitch from the mound at Fenway Park before Sunday’s game. – AP Photo/Steven SenneA display on a scoreboard shows the traditional Red Sox emblem next to one featuring colors that honor the Juneteenth holiday at Fenway Park Sunday. – AP Photo/Steven Senne
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