Celebrate Juneteenth in Durham

Nine hundred – that’s the number of days between Jan 1, 1863, when the Emancipation Proclamation went into effect, declaring all enslaved Black people free, and June 19, 1865, when 250,000 enslaved Black people in Texas finally heard the news.

It was a moment that generations of enslaved Black people had only dreamed and whispered about in secret. Naturally, they reacted to the delayed news with weeping, singing, praying and dancing – all the things that accompany liberation. It was the first June 19 celebration.

Juneteenth, a portmanteau of June and 19, is an annual day commemorating the end of slavery in the United States. While it has been celebrated by many African Americans since the late 1800s, it’s a day for all Americans to learn, reflect and grow from this nation’s history. In 2021, President Joe Biden signed a bill to set aside June 19 as a federal holiday. This year, we encourage you to celebrate Juneteenth in Durham by attending events, learning more about the day, reflecting and supporting Black-owned businesses. This year will be the 20th anniversary of Durham's Juneteenth celebration, so get ready for some serious partying.

The events below will occur in 2025. For details labeled TBA, check back in closer to Juneteenth for official announcements.

1. Attend a local Juneteenth Event.

An important part of the celebration is about community and bringing people together, and Durham organizations are proud to bring residents and visitors a full week of programming and celebration. Gather friends and family and see what events are happening in and around your city. Celebrations that have been announced for 2025 include:

1. Attend a local Juneteenth Event.

An important part of the celebration is about community and bringing people together, and Durham organizations are proud to bring residents and visitors a full week of programming and celebration. Gather friends and family and see what events are happening in and around your city. Celebrations that have been announced for 2025 include:

2025 North Carolina Juneteenth Celebration

Date: Saturday, June 21, 2025, 1-8 p.m.
Location: North Carolina Central University, Latham Parking Lot

Mark your calendars for North Carolina's Juneteenth Celebration in Durham: a day of festivities including national recording artists, local performers, food and merch, a health fair, a kids’ zone, a fashion show and more – hosted by Spectacular Magazine. The celebration kicks off at NCCU on Saturday with a drum and dance processional.

Organizations will have Exhibitor Booths to inform the men, women, youth and families of services (mentoring, tutoring, mental health, substance abuse, job services, etc.) and activities (summer camp, day camp, after-school, athletic teams, etc.) available in the surrounding areas. Experts in their respective fields provide information, activities and demonstrations.

West End/Lyon Park Juneteenth Celebration

Date: Wednesday, June 19, 2025, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
Location: Carroll Street Park, 815 Carroll St.

The West End neighborhood's Juneteenth Event kicks off at Carroll Street Park, and celebrations include vendors, giveaways, live entertainment and gospel singing with fun activities for all ages.

Hayti/Southside/St. Theresa

Date: Friday, June 20, 3-9 p.m.
Location: TBA

Bragtown & Merrick Moore Juneteenth Celebration

Date: Saturday, June 21, 2025, 4-8 p.m.
Location: Lakeview Park, 3500 Dearborn Dr.

The Bragtown Community Association presents the fourth-annual Juneteenth, an afternoon of healing, inspiration and celebration featuring live music, food trucks, a kids' fun zone, community resources, spoken word and African American history.

North Durham Farmers' Market

Date: Sunday, June 21, 2025, noon-4 p.m.
Location: Durham Central Park, 501 Foster St.

Shop Black and eat local at this environmentally friendly market filled with locally sourced food and Black-owned local businesses.

Juneteenth Flag Raising

Date: Monday, June 2, 11 a.m.
Location: Durham County Courthouse, 510 S. Dillard St.

Start the month off right with the ceremonial raising of the Juneteenth Flag at the Durham County Court House. The ceremony will include readings from the three Freedom Documents, addresses from community leaders, and presentation by Buffalo Soldier re-enactors alongside the Durham County Sheriff Honor Guard.

Party in the Park: Juneteenth Edition

Date: Thursday, June 19, 12-3 p.m.
Location: Hub RTP Experience Center, 300 Park Offices Dr.

Celebrate Juneteenth in the Research Triangle Park, RTP, with lawn games, food trucks, a splash pad, live entertainment and giveaways.

Juneteenth Gospel Concert at Hayti – “Let My People Sing”

Date: Friday, June 20, 7 p.m.
Location: Hayti Heritage Center, 804 Old Fayetteville St.

Head to the Hayti Heritage Center for a night of gospel music. This is the first time the Juneteenth Gospel Concert will be held at the Hayti Heritage Center, and it also coincides with the center's 50th anniversary.

The Coco Drip & Black Farmers Market Present: Freedom & Legacy Juneteenth Festival

Date: Saturday, June 21, 2025, noon-3 p.m.
Location: Bright Black Candle Shop, 2020 Chapel Hill Road

For this Juneteenth Celebration at Bright Black, The Coco Drip and Black Farmers' Market brings together the local community of makers, artists, bakers and more to celebrate and support BIPOC, LGBTQIA and women-led businesses.

Juneteenth at Stagville

Date: Saturday, June 21, 2025, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Location: Historic Stagville, 5828 Old Oxford Rd.

Commemorate Juneteenth by visiting the site where hundreds of enslaved people were emancipated in 1865. The site is now a state historic site dedicated to sharing the stories of the enslaved people who lived and labored there. This Juneteenth weekend, learn from talks, guided tours, a pop-up about freedom seekers and prompts for reflection at Horton Grove Nature Preserve.

2. Support a Black-owned Business.

In Durham, we support Black-owned businesses all year long. As we celebrate Juneteenth, there's no better time to highlight some of our incredible Black-owned restaurants, businesses and startups.

The Hayti Heritage Center on Fayetteville St. has a mission to preserve and advance the heritage and culture of historic Hayti & the African American experience. Along Fayetteville St., there are numerous Black-owned businesses. Visit restaurants like Nzinga's Kitchen, Chicken Hut and Let's Eat Soul Food. Stop by World of Flowers for a wide selection of beautiful plants for your home.

3. Learn about Juneteenth as a Family.

For those wanting to celebrate Juneteenth for the first time, it's important that we learn how to celebrate in a way that truly honors its history.

Pick up some books that have been written specifically about Juneteenth or some books by Black authors about Black experiences. With a physical pop-up at The Durham Hotel, Liberation Station Bookstore believes in making representation accessible and amplifying Black voices. If you can’t get your hands on these books before June 19, tune in to some read-a-longs or watch some videos online.

4. Take some time to reflect.

While Juneteenth is certainly a cause for celebration, it should also lead to a time of reflection. Find a peaceful spot at The Eno River or check out the Durham Parks & Recreation website for a comprehensive list of local parks, and then take some time to pause and reflect on what we can do individually and collectively to dismantle systemic racism in America.

5. Visit historic sites to learn more about Black History.

The civil rights movement gained significant traction in Durham. Walk Black Wall Street. Explore the Hayti Heritage Center. See the historic Woolworth lunch counter where sit-ins occurred. Become acquainted with tributes to integration and progress at the Carolina Theatre and sites like the Durham Civil Rights mural throughout the community.

Almost a thousand people were freed at Stagville, here in Durham, at the end of the Civil War. On Juneteenth, Historic Stagville invites visitors to remember emancipation and explore history on one of North Carolina's largest plantations with outdoor guided tours and more. Admission and tours are free for all, but make sure you reserve your free ticket online.

Black Wall Street, an area that became a moniker for Durham's West Parrish Street, was a hub for Black-owned businesses during the early 1900s. Today, Durhamites of color are reclaiming history with present-day business ventures. Nicole Oxendine is reviving the Black entrepreneurial spirit of Black Wall Street through movement and dance at Empower Dance Studio, which began on Parrish Street and has now found a home in a space across CCB Plaza. Ella West Gallery celebrates local and underrepresented artists in a space that once housed the Reformer Publishing Company, which printed the Durham Reformer, a 1920s-era Black newspaper. Steps away, Kompleks Creative, a self-proclaimed 'dope' creative agency has proudly bolstered the brands of local partners. Learn more about the history of Durham's Black Wall Street.

Visit Black Wall Street

Black Wall Street, an area that became a moniker for Durham's West Parrish Street, was a hub for Black-owned businesses during the early 1900s. Today, Durhamites of color are reclaiming history with present-day business ventures. Nicole Oxendine is reviving the Black entrepreneurial spirit of Black Wall Street through movement and dance at Empower Dance Studio, which began on Parrish Street and has now found a home in a space across CCB Plaza. Ella West Gallery celebrates local and underrepresented artists in a space that once housed the Reformer Publishing Company, which printed the Durham Reformer, a 1920s-era Black newspaper. Steps away, Kompleks Creative, a self-proclaimed 'dope' creative agency has proudly bolstered the brands of local partners. Learn more about the history of Durham's Black Wall Street.

Learn More in Our African American Heritage Guide

Last but not least, pick up our African American Heritage Guide at the Visitor Info Center to find out where you can see, feel, learn and embrace the past. Durham is a place where the past meets the present, and African American stories continue to unfold with grace, dignity, and pride. Through the power of storytelling and first-person accounts of local writers, poets and artists, these articles tell a story of how Black history is Durham's history.

Watch a show, movie, or documentary about Black history or the experience of Black people in America. In the Netflix docuseries High on the Hog: How African American Cuisine Transformed America, food writer Stephen Satterfield traces the origins of African American cuisine from Africa to Texas. Gabrielle Eitienne from Tall Grass Food Box, a CSA that supports and encourages the sustainability of Black Farmers serving people in Durham, appears in the series.