2023 Juneteenth Celebration - Fairfax County, VA
*The event has already taken place on this date: Sat, 06/17/2023
The City of Fairfax is partnering with Mount Calvary Baptist Church for a free inaugural event to celebrate Juneteenth National Independence Day, the day in 1865 when enslaved people near Galveston, Texas first learned they were free.
Plans for this celebratory event on Saturday, June 17, include a formal ceremony and a parade followed by an afternoon of music, dance, information sharing about African American history and genealogical resources, family activities, and food.
Initiated by Rev. Jeffery Johnson, Sr., pastor of the Mount Calvary Baptist Church, and his congregation, the day will begin at 10 a.m. with an opening ceremony at the Veterans Amphitheater at City Hall led by Rev. Nelson Sneed, Moderator of the Northern Virginia Baptist Association. Mount Calvary's founding Pastor was also the original Moderator of Northern Virginia Baptist Association in 1877.
Joy Burgesses will sing the National Anthem and D.C. Washington of the Washington Nationals will perform the “Negro” National Anthem, “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” A talk by Dr. Esther Johnson-Jackson, former National Director of the Job Core, will focus on the importance of Juneteenth and how celebrations have continued and grown with themes of Faith and Freedom. Johnson-Jackson, a native of Westmoreland County, is a former Federal Senior Executive Leader with over thirty years of Federal Service. Now working in private industry, she holds degrees from VCU, VA Tech and an Executive Leadership Certificate from Harvard University. Both Mayor Catherine Read and former Mayor David L. Meyer will participate in the morning ceremony.
From Veteran’s Amphitheater, attendees are invited to form a parade route along Armstrong Street, George Mason Boulevard to the Mount Calvary Baptist Church entrance on School Street.
The afternoon celebration centered at Mount Calvary will include music by the church’s children’s choir, a liturgical dance, and selections from other musical groups. Rev. Johnson will reprise Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech given at the Lincoln Memorial during the August 1963 “March on Washington.”
The program will also feature a talk on local Civil Rights activist James Mott, who along with his wife began their activism after officials turned them away from picnicking at Lake Fairfax Park in 1965. The Motts subsequently sued in U.S. District Court in Alexandria and won equal access to Fairfax County facilities for Black people. They also gained prominence by promoting voting rights and equal access to accommodations.
Keeping with the traditions of early 20th century Juneteenth celebrations of a festival atmosphere, there will be food trucks and many family activities during the afternoon.
Please help us keep this calendar up to date! If this activity is sold out, canceled, or otherwise needs alteration, email mindy@kidsoutandabout.com so we can update it immediately. If you have a question about the activity itself, please contact the organization administrator listed below.
*Times, dates, and prices of any activity posted to our calendars are subject to change. Please be sure to click through directly to the organization’s website to verify.
Organization:
Fairfax County, VALocation:
10455 Armstrong St
Fairfax, VA, 22030United States
See map: Google Maps
Phone:
703-324-7329Contact name:
General Information
Email address:
The event has already taken place on this date:
06/17/2023
Time:
Times Vary
Price:
Free
Ages
All Ages Adults & kids togetherWeb Service