Juneteenth didn’t become important because it became a national holiday, and it didn’t become important in 2020 after the unfortunate murder of George Floyd. The Nia Cultural Center, headquarters of the Juneteenth Legacy Project, will host a gospel-centered Emancipation Celebration on Friday at the Grand 1894 Opera House with live music to honor social justice pioneers (from $20). At 6 p.m. that day, one of the most poignant events is the Emancipation March, a re-enactment of the first celebration of emancipation that took place in Galveston on Jan. 1, 1866. Martha’s Vineyard, Mass. A vacation getaway for African American families since the early 20th century, particularly the town of Oak Bluffs, Martha’s Vineyard has only recently started celebrating Juneteenth.

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Persons: Juneteenth didn’t, George Floyd, ”, Granger, Al Edwards, it’s, Martha’s, Vineyard, Van Dyke, Nikole Hannah, Jones Organizations: Juneteenth, Cultural Center, Galveston Juneteenth, Ashton Villa, United States Colored Troops, Narragansett House, Service, Union Chapel, New York Times Locations: Galveston, Menard, Texas, Oak, Narragansett, Haven, Oak Bluffs