Juneteenth began in Galveston, Texas, when Union troops arrived on June 19, 1865, to enforce the end of slavery—more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation.
Today, the anniversary stands as a powerful reminder that freedom, though delayed, cannot be denied.
Each June, this coastal city rises into national consciousness as the birthplace of Juneteenth, a day that marks the moment when Union General Gordon Granger arrived on the island and read aloud General Order No. 3, announcing that all enslaved people in Texas were free.
This year, as the United States observes the 160th anniversary of that momentous day, Galveston prepares for one of its most significant and soul-stirring celebrations yet. The 2025 Juneteenth Jubilee promises not only music, art, food, and dance—it promises deep reflection, joyful resistance, and stories passed down through generations.
And who better to help us see that story in full color than someone who lived it, shaped it, and continues to steward it?
We have spoken with Sharon Lewis in recent years for some historical perspective.
Galveston’s District 1 City Councilwoman, who was born and raised in the very neighborhoods where Juneteenth parades once rattled windows and lifted spirits for generations. A retired educator and lifelong community advocate, Councilwoman Lewis has spent over 15 years connecting the Old Central Carver Park (OCCP) Neighborhood Association with city-wide initiatives, fighting for sidewalks, parks, housing, and economic opportunity.
In 2023, she won her seat with more than 80 percent of the vote, becoming the only African American candidate elected to city council that year. But her real credentials for speaking on Juneteenth come not from her title—but from her roots.
“My mom waited yearly for the parade that passed on the infamous Ball Street right in front of the homestead,” Lewis shared. “The parades were jubilant with drum majors, the little Burns twins leading, church vans, dance groups, bands, Corvettes, horses—with parade organizers like Shabazz, Bowie, Jackson, Annie Mae Charles, Griffin, Grice. And it was not Juneteenth without Alfreda Houston and the ‘Prayer Circle’ at St. Vincent’s, as well as Norma Scurry and crew who organized the fish fry for the Central High School Gathering.”
Galveston’s Juneteenth celebration isn’t an imported ritual or government initiative—it’s generational. It’s been carried by families like Lewis’s, by elders like her Uncle Earnest, who recalled how even Galveston transplants in San Francisco were among the first to bring the holiday to California. It’s been kept alive in backyards, church kitchens, and community halls long before national headlines caught on.
This year’s Jubilee reflects that lineage. It begins with history—specifically, the storytelling efforts led by local historians and preservationists like Samuel Collins III, who will present at The Heritage Society in mid-May, offering guests a glass of red punch and a deep dive into the lived experiences of formerly enslaved Texans. Visitors can also take guided tours through historic homes like the Kellum-Noble House and Yates House, where legacy lives in every floorboard.
By June, the calendar overflows with events. The Galveston Symphony Orchestra returns with its acclaimed “Summer Pops: Juneteenth Celebration” on June 15 at The Grand 1894 Opera House, featuring orchestral arrangements inspired by spirituals, Black composers, and freedom anthems. At Reedy Chapel AME, a reenactment of Granger’s announcement is read aloud on the steps of the very church that once received the news directly from soldiers.
Explore These: Must-Visit Historic Texas Towns!
For Councilwoman Lewis, the act of remembering is itself revolutionary.
“The fact that slaves were human beings and were not entitled to live as they were created, therefore, we all must celebrate with knowledge and awareness of the enslaved human beings,” she said. “The history of slavery will continue to be underplayed—a people with no political voice, no human protection, no generational relational families, and beaten to death. No light, but yet they found hope and began to be the abolitionists for their own freedom. And still I rise.”
Still, this is no somber affair. The Jubilee is as joyful as it is powerful. Galveston’s streets erupt with dancing, food, art, and music. At the festival in Wright Cuney Park, local vendors offer everything from Afrocentric art to handmade soaps to savory bowls of seafood gumbo. Children play in bounce houses while elders swap stories under tents. At dusk, zydeco music rolls through the streets. There are drum circles. There’s gospel. There’s R&B and praise dance and Caribbean beats and barbecue smoke—and all of it belongs.
For those staying in Galveston before or after a cruise, the Jubilee provides a rare opportunity to turn a beach vacation into a cultural pilgrimage. Families can walk through the Juneteenth Legacy Project’s “Absolute Equality” mural, visit the Nia Cultural Center, or trace the Freedom Walk map to key landmarks across the island. The hospitality scene supports the moment too—with early hotel bookings encouraged, especially in the historic Strand District or near Reedy Chapel, where much of the action unfolds.
Transportation remains easy, with bike rentals, trolleys, and walkable neighborhoods connecting visitors to event sites. Houston Hobby Airport is just a 45-minute drive away for out-of-state guests, and the island has invested in improved rideshare and parking options for major holiday weekends.
For Councilwoman Lewis, Juneteenth is more than a date or a parade. It’s a reminder.
“It’s about claiming space,” she said. “For those who were denied it, and for those who must never forget. We celebrate so the next generation will remember.”
In Galveston, that remembering happens not just in lectures and monuments, but in backyard fish fries and marching bands, in red punch and teacakes, in the way communities come together year after year to say: this happened here. And now we rise.
Check Out: The Seven Fantastic Places to Stay in Galveston Near the Cruise Port
For full schedules, maps, and hotel suggestions, visit Visit Galveston’s Juneteenth Events page.
Because if you want to understand the soul of Juneteenth, you start where it began—with the people who kept it alive.
