Tulsa Juneteenth celebrations to span several days, venues

TULSA — It wasn’t until June 19th of 1865 that slaves in Galveston, Texas first got the news that they were free.

It was some two years after the Emancipation Proclamation, and more than two months after the surrender of Robert E. Lee’s army at Appomatox Courthouse, and the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln.

The date has become a celebration of African-American heritage, and in Tulsa Juneteenth has evolved into a festival.

Last year, a committee formed with the goal of growing Juneteenth into a much larger event of diversity and inclusion, and this year’s slate of activities may well be the largest ever.

The festival is now a 501(c)(3) non-profit, board member Charity Marcus tells KRMG.

With Terence Crutcher and some of the other incidents that have happened, it is important that the community unify for events like this - Charity Marcus, Tulsa Juneteenth board member

She says recent events make it more important than ever for Tulsans to recognize their differences, while sharing a common sense of community.

“We need to come together and celebrate those differences together, because that’s the only way we’re going to be able to truly understand one another, and to be able to unify,” Marcus said Thursday.

The festival has events planned at several venues, ranging from a free movie night at Guthrie Green to concerts on the lawn at OSU Tulsa, from comedy at the Jazz Hall of Fame to exhibits of photography and other art at Living Arts.

For the full slate of events, times and locations, visit the Tulsa Juneteenth website.