Juneteenth Jubilee held at Essex library branch

Over the weekend, Baltimore County Public Library’s Essex branch hosted a celebratory event acknowledging Juneteenth.

Observed every year on June 19, Juneteenth became a federally recognized holiday in 2021. Since then, numerous institutions, organizations and communities — including many in Baltimore County — set the middle week of June aside for Juneteenth celebrations.

On June 19, 1865, Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, with the news that the more than 250,000 enslaved Black people in the state were free. That day marked the birth of Juneteenth, a day to celebrate and reflect on freedom, community and the achievements of Black Americans.

Over the past four years, the holiday has grown in popularity nationally, regionally and locally. In the county, there was a Juneteenth festival in Towson, a massive festival was held in Catonsville and the Parkville YMCA is hosting a two-day a Juneteenth celebration.

Likewise, the Baltimore County Public Library has expanded its list of Juneteenth-related events, essentially scheduled throughout mid-June.

“The vision of Baltimore County Public Library is to create an inclusive and welcoming place for our community, and one way we do that is by celebrating and highlighting our County’s diversity and culture for all to learn and grow together,” CEO Sonia Alcantara Antoine said.

“The Juneteenth Jubilee was a wonderful way to celebrate the resilience, contributions and stories of the African American community as we honored this pivotal moment in our shared history.”

The Essex branch’s Juneteenth Jubilee was held Saturday, June 15. Those who attended the two-hour event, which exceeded four dozen, enjoyed music, face painting, balloon twisters, a photo booth and Juneteenth crown-making activity for children.

Juneteenth activity kits were available at all BCPL branch locations for those who were unable to attend but still wanted to celebrate the holiday. The kits, filled with book recommendations, a word search, coloring page and a maze, also had buttons to wear to commemorate the day.

The event’s featured book was “Opal Lee and What it Means to be Free: The True Story of the Grandmother of Juneteenth.”

“We had a healthy crowd for the event, more than 50 people of all ages attended,” a BCPL spokesperson said.

“Our staff heard from several attendees who called the event festive and are excited the library is holding Juneteenth and other culture programming at branches across the county.”