Boston Juneteenth celebrations kicked off joyfully with music reverberating through the Common Wednesday morning.
“It’s incredibly powerful to be in community at many of these events,” said Mayor Michelle Wu, speaking about the Juneteenth celebrations. “These are wonderfully welcoming and happy events, and it’s also a moment of reflection where we come together and strengthen community to keep going.”
The concert, which began Wednesday morning near the Embrace statue, was the first of a series of events organized by Embrace Boston leading up to the holiday on June 19.
The event featured speakers including Gov. Maura Healey and Embrace Executive Director Imari Paris Jeffries and musical performances by local artists including Amandi Music, Boston Arts Academy Spirituals Ensemble and the Voices of Embrace Choir, accompanied on piano by Mayor Michelle Wu.
This will be the third Juneteenth — a holiday that commemorates the day in 1865 the news of emancipation was delivered to enslaved people in Texas — since it was designated a national holiday.
Attendees and speakers emphasized the importance of the holiday and emphasizing Black history and culture now.
“Black history is American history,” said Gov. Maura Healey during her speech. “We will teach it. We will talk about it. We will embrace it.”
Embrace Boston will be hosting events through June 16 as part of the Embrace Ideas Festival leading up to the holiday.
On Thursday, the festival will continue at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design, with keynote speakers 1619 project founder Nikole Hannah-Jones and Boston Globe columnist Jenee Osterheldt. The panels are free but require pre-booked tickets.
The celebration will wrap up with a block party at Roxbury Community College featuring Grammy-nominated producer Just Blaze on Friday, which is free and open to the public.
“We hope you leave today feeling connected, filled with joy and excitement for the new Boston that we’re all building together,” said concert emcee and NBC Boston host Latoyia Edwards.
