How to celebrate Juneteenth in Los Angeles

A woman kisses a man as they pose holding a large picture frame with the words, Happy June19LA

By Kevinisha WalkerMultiplatform Editor, Newsletters

June 19, 2024 6:30 AM PT

Good morning. It’s Wednesday, June 19. Here’s what you need to know to start your day.

Juneteenth in L.A.
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The history of Juneteenth and how to celebrate in L.A.

On this day in 1865, the federal government arrived in Galveston, Texas, to declare that all enslaved people must be freed. The Emancipation Proclamation took effect in 1863 but couldn’t be implemented until the Civil War ended and Confederate states surrendered.

As a result, enslaved people in Texas were the last ones in the Confederacy to find out they were freed. The date June 19, now known as Juneteenth, has become a symbolic holiday to celebrate Black history, culture and unity.

For over 150 years, states across the country have celebrated Juneteenth with parades, cookouts, music festivals and other fun activities I’ll get into a little later. But it took just as long for the federal government to recognize the day.

On June 16, 2021, Congress made Juneteenth (June 19) a federal holiday. More than half of the U.S. made the date a public holiday, giving state workers the day off and closing state government offices.

Three children in dark T-shirts with colorful lettering that says Juneteenth pose for a portrait

It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of having a day off, but it’s important to remember why the holiday exists.

The 1865 announcement of freedom did not put an end to systemic racism and its discriminatory effects in housing, employment and education. It also did not stop violence against Black people.

Yet there’s still reason to celebrate, for the Black people who endured centuries of slavery and their descendants who continued to fight for the rights of Black Americans.

Here’s how you can mark the holiday here in Los Angeles:

Eat some red foods

Watermelon. Red velvet cake. BBQ ribs. That’s just a few of the red-hued foods to be found around L.A. that symbolize Juneteenth.

There are different ideas around the significance of eating red foods on Juneteenth, my colleague Danielle Dorsey writes. Some believe that early celebrants simply worked with easily accessible and in-season ingredients that happened to be red. Others say it honors the bloodshed and suffering of enslaved ancestors.

Here are 14 Black-owned restaurants and markets across L.A. to get red foods and drinks for Juneteenth.

Go to a concert or stream one online

Kendrick Lamar will remind us why he’s the champion in this year’s most brutal rap feud against Drake with a live Juneteenth performance in Inglewood.

He will headline “The Pop Out — Ken & Friends” at the Forum today at 4 p.m. The lineup has yet to be announced. Resale tickets are still available starting at $240, but you can also stream the concert on Amazon Prime.

Over in Hollywood, Rapper T-Pain will co-curate a one-night-only event celebrating Juneteenth and Black music at the Hollywood Bowl tonight at 8. Tickets are still available starting at $25 on the Hollywood Bowl’s website.

Learn more about the holiday

Take a trip to Manhattan Beach later this morning for a Juneteenth ceremony filled with reverence, education, entertainment and community engagement at Bruce’s Beach Park. The ceremony will include speakers from the community, special guests and a gospel choir.

Farther south, the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach will present its annual Juneteenth Celebration from 1-2 p.m. Discover the traditions of the holiday through music, storytelling and more.

Today’s top stories

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Commentary and opinions

Editorial: Juneteenth is about more than the end of slavery.
Sammy Roth: In Southern California, the water drama never dies.
Robin Abcarian: Los Angeles public schools will ban cellphones. What’s not to like?

Today’s great reads

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Other great reads

Defying age and expectations, 94-year-old June Squibb is Hollywood’s latest action star.
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How can we make this newsletter more useful? Send comments to [email protected].

For your downtime

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Going out

🐅Ten places in California to see magnificent wildlife in their natural settings.
🍉 Red-hued foods are a powerful Juneteenth symbol. 14 places to find them in L.A.
💰Hotel and Airbnb price tags may soon spike. For travelers, that’s a good thing.

Staying in

📖 Akwaeke Emezi’s novel ‘Little Rot’ is a thrilling but difficult descent into darkness.
🧑‍🍳 Here’s a recipe for République date butter roasted sweet potatoes.
✏️ Get our free daily crossword puzzle, sudoku, word search and arcade games.

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