National Civil Rights Museum celebrates Juneteenth with a focus on community and health

Free museum admission on the federal holiday Thursday, June 19

/EIN News/ -- Memphis, TN, June 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The National Civil Rights Museum is celebrating the Juneteenth holiday on June 19 with free museum admission, vital community health services, and engaging family educational activities. This annual event honors the historic emancipation of enslaved African Americans while promoting wellness, education, and community empowerment.

Juneteenth dates back to June 19, 1865, when Union soldier, Major General Gordon Granger, arrived in Galveston, Texas with 6,000 Black American troops to inform enslaved Texans the Civil War had ended, they were then free, and to enforce the law passed more than two and half years prior. This population of Black Texans were denied their freedom since January 1, 1863, when President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation.

The museum’s Juneteenth Community Day building on last year’s success, Juneteenth Community Day expands its offerings with a comprehensive slate of health resources provided by valued community partners, including Vitalant, Sickle Cell Foundation, Baptist Health Sciences University, Baptist Memorial Health Care, Memphis Area Legal Services, and more. This year, Baptist Health Sciences University and Baptist Memorial Health Care will provide:

• blood pressure screenings
• diabetes risk factor screenings and education
• resource connection with community healthcare workers
• osteopathic medicine demonstrations.

“We are proud to continue this tradition of honoring Juneteenth with opportunities that educate, heal, and uplift our community,” said Veda Ajamu, Chief Officer of Engagement at the National Civil Rights Museum. “By combining history with health and education, we create a meaningful experience that supports the whole family.”

Juneteenth Community Day also features a variety of family-friendly educational activities designed to engage visitors of all ages in the stories and lessons of the civil rights movement, highlighting the ongoing journey toward equality and justice. There will be food trucks, family and children activities, a  DJ, entertainment, live radio remotes, and recorded messages relevant to the importance of Juneteenth.

Free admission from 9 am to 6 pm is on a first-come basis. The Juneteenth Community Day is made possible by Ford Philanthropy with support of Caesars Entertainment/Horseshoe Tunica, Home Depot, Downtown Memphis Commission, Ella Fitzgerald Charitable Foundation, and the Memphis Grizzlies. For more information, visit civilrightsmuseum.org.

About the National Civil Rights Museum
The NATIONAL CIVIL RIGHTS MUSEUM, located at the historic Lorraine Motel where civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated, gives a comprehensive overview of the American Civil Rights Movement from slavery to the present. Since the Museum opened in 1991, millions of visitors from around the world have come, including thousands of students annually. Serving as the new public square, the Museum is steadfast in its mission to honors and preserves the site of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr’s assassination.  We chronicle the American civil rights movement and tell the story of the ongoing struggle for human rights, serving as a catalyst to inspire action to create positive social change.  A Smithsonian Affiliate and an internationally acclaimed cultural institution, the Museum is recognized as a 2019 National Medal Award recipient by the Institute of Museums and Library Services (IMLS), the top national honor for museums and libraries. More information at civilrightsmuseum.org.

Connie Dyson
                    National Civil Rights Museum
                    901-527-1225
                    cdyson@civilrightsmuseum.org