The Commonwealth this year for the first time recognizes June 19, or Juneteenth, as an official state holiday marking slavery’s end in the United States.
How will it be celebrated in Wellesley?
For one, the Wellesley Council on Aging hosts a program on Thursday, June 17th at 2pm titled “Juneteenth: Exploring and Celebrating.
The description for the event reads:
In July of 2020, Juneteenth was officially recognized as a holiday in Massachusetts to be celebrated each year on June 19th. Join Rev. Deborah Clark on Thursday, June 17th at 2:00 PM as she presents about the new role it is playing in our state and our nation today. Juneteenth has a long history, dating back to the day, in 1865, that the Union army rode into Galveston, Texas and told enslaved people about emancipation. It was two years after the Emancipation Proclamation. In this hour-long virtual conversation, we will delve into the history of Juneteenth, how it has been celebrated in different parts of the country. We will talk about what it means for us to celebrate this holiday in a way that honors a painful history and lifts up courage and hope.
Also offering a Juneteenth program is Temple Beth Elohim on June 18, from 7:30-8:45pm online.
The program, titled “Juneteenth and the Continuing March to Freedom with TBE Online,” will feature “speakers from the Partakers College-Behind-Bars program and the new Partakers Empowerment Program (PEP), a re-entry program for individuals recently released from prison. We will hear how TBE mentors are supporting individuals during their incarceration, and then post-release in rebuilding their lives. We will also learn about efforts to prevent youth-at-risk from getting swept into the cycle of violence and incarceration.”
Other Wellesley Juneteenth programs? theswellesleyreport@gmail.com
Town office and department holiday schedules
Wellesley municipal offices and departments will follow a limited holiday schedule this year in observance of Juneteenth.
Closed on Friday, June 18:
- Wellesley Town Hall
- Wellesley Public Schools (No Students, Buildings will be open for teachers & staff)
Closed on Saturday, June 19:
- Wellesley RDF (Closed all day)
- Wellesley Free Library (All branches)
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