Juneteenth commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African-Americans on June 19th, 1865 - more than two months after the end of the Civil War and nearly three years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation.
Next month on June 19th, Juneteenth will be recognized as an official holiday - this time for the first time across four levels of government all at the same time: the Federal Government, the State of Tennessee, the City of Chattanooga and Hamilton County.
Starting on June 1st through June 19th, the Chattanooga Festival of Black Arts and Ideas: Juneteenth Independence Day returns for a sixth year - to celebrate the contributions by artists of African descent in music, dance, theatre, visual arts, film and literature.
Ric Morris is the Festival’s founder and CEO.
