The Gainesville Hall County Black History Society will hold three days of Juneteenth events around the community.
The 11th Annual Juneteenth Celebration: The Power of Us –Strength in Unity events will be free to attend.
Juneteenth marks the anniversary of slaves in Texas learning of their freedom in 1865, two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed. 2025 Chairwoman for the celebration Shalia Campbell explained the events will bring education, empowerment and entertainment to the community.
The group will kick off the holiday on Thursday, June 19 with a “Truth and Triumph” movie night. The showing of “Juneteenth: Faith and Freedom” will take place at 6 p.m. at Gainesville High School's “The Hub,” located at 830 Century Place, Gainesville, Ga 30501.
“We plan on coming together, because we can't celebrate what we don't know,’ Campbell explained. “We want to make sure that everyone knows why we're celebrating Juneteenth. Unfortunately, a lot of people don't know the history and how it originated…We just want to have a night of learning and reflection as we come together and just talk about and watch the historical significance of Juneteenth so that everyone knows where we were, where we are, and where we're going.”
The following day, the society will host its first-ever “Crowned in Freedom” Royal Court Pageant at the Gainesville Civic Center at 6 p.m.. Inviting girls ages two to 15 to demonstrate their talents to the community. While the event is a pageant, it is not a competition.
“We're making sure that they understand their history, they're understanding their importance,” Campbell said. “They're going to express that through music, literature, empowerment and uplifting statements throughout the night.”
The Gainesville Civic Center is located at 830 Green Street, Gainesville, Ga, 30501.
Juneteenth celebrations will conclude on Saturday, June 21, with a march to the Midland Greenway, preceded by a festival.
The march will begin at 2 p.m., starting at Peach State Bank in Gainesville. Those interested in participating are advised to arrive at the location by 1:30 p.m. The festival featuring food, music and vendors will begin at 3 p.m.
“We want to open up our culture, and we wanted to make sure that this was just a full day of just unity in our community,” Campbell said. “We don't want anyone left out. We have vendors from all nationalities and all cultures out there coming together as one as we celebrate Juneteenth this year.”
To learn more about the events or the Gainesville-Hall County Black History Society, click here.
