Juneteenth, observed annually on June 19, commemorates the emancipation of enslaved people in the United States.
The holiday traces its origins to June 19, 1865, when Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, and announced the freedom of enslaved people, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued.
The Daily Item staff compiled stories of past and future events from some of our communities to commemorate the holiday.
LYNN
Lynn marked Juneteenth with a flag-raising ceremony on Tuesday night and will host a community celebration on the Lynn Commons on June 21, as part of a regional effort by the North Shore Juneteenth Association to honor and raise awareness about Black American freedom and history.
President of the North Shore Juneteenth Association and Councilor at large, Nicole McClain, has partnered with communities all over the North Shore to honor Juneteenth.
The events featured the traditional components of every Juneteenth: flag raising coordinated by the North Shore Juneteenth Association, a live performance of the Black National Anthem, a keynote speaker, and a ceremonial flag raising conducted by community members or the Lynn English High School Junior ROTC.
“We have been utilizing the Lynn English Junior ROTC since the beginning of this, since we started in 2017,” said McClain. “They raise the flag for us in a nice, professional manner, so the flag is respected.”
While the North Shore Juneteenth Association helps organize and coordinate the events, McClain said that each city or town can add its own local elements, such as food vendors or special speakers.
In Lynn, city officials and community members gathered at City Hall to recognize the significance of Juneteenth and honor Black American culture.
This year’s celebration in Lynn continues with an event on the Commons on June 21 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., featuring community speakers, performances, and vendors. The event emphasized pride, resilience, and education.
“I feel like us celebrating our freedom here should be respected, appreciated, acknowledged,” McClain said. “That’s why we celebrate the Juneteenth holiday and try to spread awareness about the holiday throughout the North Shore.”
The North Shore Juneteenth Association was formed out of a desire to bring the celebration closer to home. “The reason why this organization began was because there’s always Juneteenth celebrations happening in Boston, and I wanted to bring something closer to home so that some people wouldn’t have to commute, including myself, to Boston in order to celebrate the Juneteenth holiday,” McClain said.
Initially founded as the Lynn Juneteenth Committee in 2016, the group rebranded the following year as it began expanding its efforts across the region. “We had our first flag raising, and we had our first Juneteenth celebration on the Lynn Commons,” McClain said of their 2017 launch.
Since then, the organization has helped raise the Juneteenth flag in dozens of North Shore communities, from Gloucester to Beverly to Salem.
“There was a year, I think it was 2021, where we were able to go to 13 different communities to raise the flag,” McClain said. “This year we got eight communities, but hopefully it’ll pick back up next year, and we’ll hit who knows? Maybe 20.”
Residents attending the events often express gratitude and surprise at what they learn. “They’re always saying how powerful it is. They’re always saying that they didn’t know a lot of the history,” McClain said. “We encourage people to dig deeper after the flag raising and do some of their own research so they can learn more about this holiday and Black American history.”
We always remind people that Black American history is American history,” she added. “All the things that happened in the Black American culture happened right here in America, so it is American history and should be acknowledged as that as well.”
To follow the North Shore Juneteenth Association and its future events, residents can visit www.nsjuneteenth.com or follow @nsjt on Facebook and Instagram.
LYNNFIELD
Lynnfield For Love (LFL) partnered with the North Shore Juneteenth Association on June 12 to celebrate Juneteenth at Lynnfield Common.
The celebration included a speaking portion featuring LFL President Darlene Kumar, LHS junior Sonia Kumar, Assistant Superintendent Adam Federico, and North Shore Juneteenth Association Founder/President Nicole McClain.
The ceremony continued with a poem by Kingsley Metelus and concluded with the Juneteenth flag being raised by a member of the Lynn English Marine Corps JROTC and the singing of the Black National Anthem by Janey David.
MARBLEHEAD
The community gathered together on Friday on the lawn of Abbot Hall for Marblehead’s fourth annual Juneteenth flag raising and ceremony.
Marblehead High School student, Damilola Graciella Olabisi, started off the ceremony by reciting a poem that she has been perfecting since the sixth grade, titled “You and Me.”
“The difference between you and me is that you’re the only one who’s free in the so-called Land of the Free. The difference between you and me is that when you use my vernacular, it’s cool, but when I use it, it’s ghetto. The difference between you and me is your snowy skin is the standard, yet my melanated skin is inaccurate,” she read.
The following speaker, Co-Chair of the Marblehead Task Force Against Discrimination, Helaine Hazlett, mentioned that she would like to look into the steps to help Olabisi get her poem published because it was so moving.
“I have to tell you, it must be published, the task force will help you out,” she said.
Kashawn Little was one of the featured speakers at the ceremony. He is a business owner, social worker, football coach, and a “neighbor to Marblehead.”
Little referenced the current political climate and stated, “Last Juneteenth, I warned that if we did not take the 2024 election seriously, we would repeat the mistakes of 1876, and now here we are. The 2024 election results have opened the doors for attacks on civil rights, women’s rights, voting rights, and immigration rights. We are watching the undoing of the very protections fought for during the Civil Rights Movement. It’s Deja Vu.”
He said that although celebrations such as the Juneteenth flag raising are important, “Black excellence isn’t just about celebration. It’s about showing up, speaking out, and staying in the fight.”
He ended his speech by saying “I stand here before you, not with hatred, but with hope, hope that by naming truth, we can build trust, hope that this town, now home to many families of color and immigrants, can grow into a place of safety and dignity for all residents.”
Poet Laureate of Lynn, Michelle “LaPoetica” Richardson, read a poem that brought some attendees to tears during the ceremony.
She told the audience to take note that there “was not a lot of melanin in the crowd,” but “ I want you to acknowledge the love that exists in you for being in this moment, young, old, melanated or not, it’s important that we acknowledge each other, because it’s necessary for us to come together.”
She said she can guarantee that “this war that is upon us right now can only be won with love.
“You are proof positive, and you have within you the license, autonomy, and authority to shut it down,” Richardson said.
She ended her poem by thanking the crowd for the love and support at the Juneteenth ceremony.
“Thank you for the love that brought you here. Thank you for the love that keeps you interested in moments like this, that gets you to show up to moments like this, because we need you now,” she said.
Rising senior at Marblehead High School, Bubacarr Jallow, shared a reflection on justice in the United States.
“Our justice means my future isn’t decided by my zip code, my skin color, or my background. Our justice sounds like real equality and not empty promises,” he said
Martina Campbell, who is an educator in Lynn, sang the Black National Anthem.
Police Chief Dennis King and resident Alfred Doherty raised the Juneteenth flag at the end of the ceremony.
The Marblehead Task Force Against Discrimination and the Marblehead Museum sponsored the event in partnership with the North Shore Juneteenth Association.
Juneteenth, now recognized as a federal holiday, commemorates the emancipation of the last enslaved African Americans in the United States in 1865.
Organizers encourage residents of all ages to attend, reflect, and stand together in the spirit of unity, education, and progress.
Organizer of the event and Emcee Candice Sliney said, “On behalf of the Marblehead task force against discrimination and Marblehead Museum, North Shore Juneteenth Association, and everyone else that made this possible. Thank you so much.”
SWAMPSCOTT
The town hosted a “Juneteenth Jubilee: Let Freedom Ring” event on June 16 on the lawn outside Town Hall. In collaboration with the METCO program and the Boston Bridges Initiative, a local nonprofit organization that aims to foster social change and connection in local communities, the town’s Recreation Department brought the event to life to celebrate the historic moment.
Community members were invited to rally outside Town Hall to participate in the event, which featured appearances from Lynn Poet Laureate Michelle “LaPoetica” Richardson, who delivered a powerful poem to the audience, as well as singer Janey David, who performed the Black National Anthem. METCO Co-Director Temi Bailey talked about the history and background of the holiday, and Northshore Juneteenth Association member Kashawn Little also spoke on the significance of the holiday.
There was also a tent pitched on the lawn where attendees could enjoy food and beverages. To finish off the ceremony, there was a flag-raising ceremony where the Juneteenth flag was raised beside the town hall.
“Part of the reason we do this is to keep people reminded of the importance of working together, the accuracy of information that’s dispelled, and a lot of what Juneteenth is about is that we were freed for a long time before we found out,” Richardson said.
