As Juneteenth Nears, Falmouth Prepares For Celebration

FALMOUTH, MA — The town is gearing up not merely for Memorial Day on Monday, but for another holiday focused on remembrance.

Falmouth will mark Juneteenth on Friday, June 19, from 1-4 p.m., with a celebration at Saint Barnabas Church, 91 Main St., according to a public notice.

Juneteenth, which became a federal holiday in 2021, commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. The date refers to June 19, 1865 – when a Union general ordered the final enforcement of the Emancipation Proclamation in Texas at the end of the American Civil War.

Falmouth’s recognition is being hosted by the Juneteenth Community Celebration Committee, with cosponsorship from the town. The committee recently held an advance event raising awareness of the holiday – the Opal Lee Juneteenth Walk for Justice.

Lee is an activist who led the effort to make Juneteenth a holiday, and is often called the “grandmother” of the celebration.

The committee said the May 16 walk was “dedicated to honoring the legacy of Juneteenth as well as advancing equity, unity and social change in the beloved Falmouth community.”

You can learn more about the town’s Juneteenth celebration by clicking here.

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