The Inaugural Southwest DC Juneteenth Festival

 History, Heritage, and Hope 

History of Juneteenth 

 Juneteenth, or June 19, 1865, marks the date when those who were enslaved in the state of Texas learned that they had been freed – more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, which freed only those enslaved in the states fighting with the Union.  However, the 13th Amendment to the United States Constitution abolished slavery. 

Inaugural Southwest Juneteenth Festival

The Inaugural Southwest Juneteenth Festival was held on Saturday, June 17, 2023 on the site of the historic Carron Baptist Church at 1354 First Street in Southwest DC. A goal of this festival was to engage city-wide residents along with James Creek, Syphax Gardens, Greenleaf Gardens, Greenleaf Gardens Additions, Greenleaf Gardens Extension, and Greenleaf Senior communities.  Descendant communities remembered the storied past of the enslavement of Africans and African Americans and the celebration of their freedom. 

The first year, the event featured Historian Louis C. Hicks, Jr. who lead festival goers in dialogue about the Juneteenth National Independence Day - also known as Jubilee Day, Emancipation Day, Freedom Day, and Black Independence Day. He is a renowned community historian with a focus on the intersection of Black history and public interpretation. He formerly served as Executive Assistant for the Association for the Study of African American History (ASALH).

Heritage

Celebrating 95 years of serving the Washington, DC community, Carron – a 14th Century Gothic style architect brownstone - is a few walking blocks from National and Audi stadiums (Waterfront and Navy Yard Metro Stations) and three historic landmarks. The former home site of native Washingtonian soul singer Marvin Gaye is at 1617 First Street. In the same block is the location of the James C. Dent House at 156 Q Street. Born enslaved in 1855, Reverend Dent was founding pastor, along with his wife Mary, of a Baptist church and he was a notable community leader advocating social and economic justice. Across the street is Fort McNair, the site where the Abraham Lincoln assassination co-conspirators were hanged 158 years ago.

Hope

“Community outreach, civic engagement, and cultural identity are ways that we facilitate change in the surrounding neighborhoods,” said Reverend Peter J. Spann, a Howard University School of Divinity alumni. “The inaugural Southwest Juneteenth Festival aligns with Carron’s mission and vision beyond the walls of the church as a faith-based anchor for local and community-wide residents.”

This outdoor festival is a celebration through reflective conversations about Juneteenth, music, dance, food, children’s activities, informational materials, giveaways, and a walking tour. This event is free and open to the public.