Juneteenth

In observance of Juneteenth, the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir offices will be closed Friday, June 19.

This is not a day off, but rather a day on to learn, get involved, reach out, and explore what this day means for all of us.

How can I get involved?

Support Black-Owned Businesses

Teaching Juneteenth

Sign this petition to make Juneteenth a National Holiday.

Check out this list of events taking place all over the country.

10 Reasons You Should Support Black Lives Matter

What is Juneteenth?

Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day, Jubilee Day, and Cel-Liberation Day, is an American holiday celebrated annually on June 19. It commemorates June 19, 1865, when Union general Gordon Granger read federal orders in Galveston, Texas, that all previously enslaved people in Texas were free. Although the Emancipation Proclamation had formally freed them almost two and a half years earlier, and the American Civil War had largely ended with the defeat of the Confederate States in April, Texas was the most remote of the slave states, with a low presence of Union troops, so enforcement of the proclamation had been slow and inconsistent.