Black Americans have celebrated Juneteenth for decades, but the anniversary gained added recognition in 2021 when President Joe Biden made it a federal holiday.
Gov. Brian Kemp followed suit in April 2022 when he signed a measure making Juneteenth a paid day off for state employees.
Juneteenth commemorates the day — June 19, 1865 — when former slaves in Galveston, Texas, learned of the 1863 Emancipation Proclamation.
Georgia NAACP State President Gerald Griggs said the date’s significance isn’t lost on locals.
“Being the birthplace of civil rights, we always have a special place for liberation and freedom,” Griggs said. “We are one of the biggest populations of Black people in the South and in the country. I think it’s a full recognition of our full citizenship and how far we’ve come and yet how far we still have to go.”
Last year, some local governments in metro Atlanta initially chose not to make Juneteenth an official holiday, even after the state and federal government did. Among them were Alpharetta, Sandy Springs, Roswell, Johns Creek, Tucker and Marietta. Leaders in most of those communities have had a change of heart since then.
Here’s an update on those metro cities, and a breakdown of local Juneteenth celebrations.
Sandy Springs
This year’s Juneteenth celebration has added significance for Sandy Springs City Councilwoman Melody Kelley. Last year, Juneteenth was not on Sandy Springs’ holiday calendar.
On Dec. 6, Kelley helped convince her fellow city lawmakers to make Juneteenth a “floating holiday” for municipal employees, granting them an extra paid day off to use on June 19 if they want.
Leaders in Sandy Springs also authorized local Juneteenth event organizers to host a gathering at the City Green municipal park.
Kelley said Sandy Springs is also setting aside $10,000 in its fiscal year 2024 city budget to pay for next year’s Juneteenth celebration. Government offices will still remain open on Monday, however, and that’s something she hopes to change in the future.
“I stated on the record on Dec. 6 that the city of Sandy Springs should be closed June 19, but I’m taking baby steps,” Kelley said. “I want to see parity with Juneteenth and other holidays.”
Johns Creek
On Feb. 28, local lawmakers in Johns Creek voted in favor of making Juneteenth a municipal government holiday for the first time ever. The city is hosting a Juneteenth celebration this weekend, but government offices will remain open on Monday.
Johns Creek Mayor John Bradberry said his city “recognizes the historical significance” of Juneteenth and he looks forward to “celebrating the freedom, unity, and peace” that the holiday represents.
“I’m very proud of how this has been a community-driven event between our Juneteenth resident volunteer committee in collaboration with our city staff,” Bradberry said.
Alpharetta
Alpharetta is one of the few remaining Juneteenth holdouts in metro Atlanta.
The city still doesn’t officially recognize Juneteenth as a government holiday, according to Assistant City Administrator James Drinkard. The same is true, he said, for Presidents Day, Columbus Day, and Veterans Day.
“Historically, the City of Alpharetta has considered changes to our list of recognized holidays, which are those holidays for which our business offices are closed, as part of larger updates to our personnel policies and employee handbook,” Drinkard said via email. “Such an update has not been undertaken since March 2020, prior to Juneteenth being recognized as a federal holiday.”
St. James United Methodist Church in Alpharetta will host a Juneteenth event on Monday. Drinkard said the city is partnering with the church on the event for the second consecutive year.
Local Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. leader Zelphia Hawkins says Alpharetta residents like her still have work to do when it comes to getting their government to properly recognize Juneteenth and other federal holidays.
“I think we really need to work with the city officials as well as with the citizens of the city to really analyze the importance of those dates to the residents,” she said.
Smyrna
Before city leaders retroactively approved making Juneteenth a city holiday on June 20, 2022, Smyrna hadn’t passed a law recognizing the date. Employees could take a day off to celebrate by using the “floating holiday” PTO policy.
“Historically the holidays are discussed each year, and this year there were several that came up,” Community Relations Director Jennifer Bennett said at the time. “I think this year a floating holiday was proposed [for Juneteenth] and accepted. It’s up to individuals to make use of that as they see [fit].”
This year, city offices in Smyrna will be closed in observance of Juneteenth.
Roswell
Roswell officials haven’t responded to multiple requests for clarification as to whether the city has officially made Juneteenth a municipal holiday.
Roswell Community Relations Director Julie Brechbill told Capital B Atlanta last year that the city had not enacted a law making Juneteenth official.
On Friday, a representative from the office of Roswell Mayor Kurt Wilson said the city is hosting a Juneteenth event outside Roswell City Hall on Monday morning, but offices will remain open the same day.
Other Juneteenth Celebrations in the Metro Atlanta Area
City of Atlanta
What: Juneteenth Atlanta Parade & Music Festival
Date: Saturday, June 17 – Sunday, June 18
Time: 10 a.m. – 10 p.m. on Saturday, 9 a.m. – 8 p.m. on Sunday
Location: Centennial Olympic Park
285 Andrew Young International Blvd. NW, Atlanta
What: Around Sound Juneteenth Jubilee
Date: Saturday, June 17
Time: 7 – 8:30 p.m.
Location: First Presbyterian Church of Atlanta
1328 Peachtree St., Atlanta
What: Juneteenth at Children’s Museum of Atlanta
Date: Sunday, June 18
Time: 9:30 a.m.
Location: Children’s Museum of Atlanta
275 Centennial Olympic Park Drive NW, Atlanta
What: TILA x SG Presents: Juneteenth Block Party
Date: Saturday, June 17
Time: 3 – 6 p.m.
Location: sweetgreen
650 North Ave. NE, Suite 102B, Atlanta
What: Juneteenth Jubilee Block Party
Date: Sunday, June 18
Time: 5 – 10 p.m.
Location: The Ke’nekt Cooperative
1492 Ralph David Abernathy Blvd., Suite A, Atlanta
Cobb County
What: City of Austell Juneteenth Festival
Date: Saturday, June 17
Time: Noon – 7 p.m.
Location: Legion Park
5514 Austell Powder Springs Road, Austell
DeKalb County
What: Juneteenth: Reclaiming Your Joy
Date: Saturday, June 17
Time: 2 – 7 p.m.
Location: The Elliott Estate
2771 Rainbow Ridge Road, Decatur
What: DeKalb County Juneteenth Concert
Date: Saturday, June 17
Time: 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Location: Porter Sanford III Performing Arts & Community Center
3181 Rainbow Drive, Decatur
Fulton County
What: Juneteenth Celebration of Freedom
Date: Saturday, June 17
Time: 5 – 9 p.m.
Location: Downtown Commons
2757 East Point St., East Point
What: Juneteenth-Nik
Date: Saturday, June 17
Time: Noon – 6 p.m.
Location: Brookdale Park
2457 Sylvan Road, East Point
What: Atlanta NAACP Juneteenth Free Concert
Date: Saturday, June 17
Time: 5 – 9 p.m.
Location: 2757 East Point St., East Point
What: City of South Fulton Juneteenth Celebration
Date: Sunday, June 18
Time: 2 – 10 p.m.
Location: Wolf Creek Amphitheater
3025 Merk Road SW, College Park
Gwinnett County
What: Juneteenth 2023 Celebration & Music Festival
Date: Saturday, June 17
Time: Noon – 6 p.m.
Location: Rhodes Jordan Park
100 E. Crogan St., Lawrenceville
What: Juneteenth Festival
Date: Saturday, June 17
Time: 2 – 8 p.m.
Location: Thrasher Park
93 Park Drive, Norcross
What: Snellville’s Juneteenth Celebration
Date: Sunday, June 18
Time: 1 – 8 p.m.
Location:
2437 Main St. E, Snellville
Clayton County
What: Juneteenth Celebration Concert
Date: Saturday, June 17
Time: 7 – 9 p.m.
Location: Lee Street Park & Amphitheater
155 Lee St., Jonesboro
What: Juneteenth Clayton County 5th Annual Freedom Festival
Date: Saturday, June 17
Time: 9 p.m. – 1 a.m. Sunday
Location: 155 Lee St, Jonesboro
What: Juneteenth Festival and Black Business Expo
Date: Sunday, June 18
Time: Noon – 8 p.m.
Location: 6435 Tara Blvd., Jonesboro
What: Main Street Market – Juneteenth Celebration
Date: Saturday, June 17
Time: Noon – 6 p.m.
Location: 7982 N. Main St., Jonesboro
