Juneteenth Kicks Off In Princeton With Flag Raising Ceremony

PRINCETON, NJ — Juneteenth observances in Princeton kick off with a flag raising ceremony, an art installation and musical performances.

The Monday, June 19, national holiday commemorates the day in 1865, more than two years after President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, when word finally reached the last enslaved people in Texas that the Civil War had ended, and they were free.

Also known as Emancipation Day, Freedom Day and Jubilee Day, Juneteenth is the oldest-known celebration of the end of slavery in the United States. In 2021, President Joe Biden signed legislation making it a federal holiday, the first since the addition of Martin Luther King Jr. Day in 1983.

Juneteenth events in Princeton include:

Flag Raising: At 12 p.m. on Monday, the Municipality will be holding a flag raising ceremony to recognize Juneteenth. Municipal officials, staff, and community members will be present at 1 Monument Hall for the ceremony. The municipality has also partnered with the Princeton Symphony Orchestra to offer programs that celebrates local Black artists, musicians, and entrepreneurs. Opening remarks will be made by Councilman Leighton Newlin.

Art Installation: At 2 p.m., an art installation celebrating Juneteenth – Art Against Racism: Beyond Freedom – will be unveiled at the Stockton Education Center at the Morven Museum & Garden. Opening remarks will be made by Rhinold Lamar Ponder, artist and co-chair of Art Against Racism. The event is free and open to the public.

Musical Performance: GRAMMY Award-winning, Metropolitan Opera star Will Liverman with pianist Kevin Miller. Liverman will perform art songs set to texts by Laurence Hope, Langston Hughes, and Louise C. Wallace, with music by Black composers, including Damien Sneed, Margaret Bonds, and Florence Price. The performance will be held at 7 p.m. at the Performance Pavilion – Morven Museum & Garden. Tickets are priced at $20 for general admission, youths 5-17 receive a 50 percent discount with an adult purchase.

• Related: What Is Juneteenth? Celebrating The End Of Slavery