Juneteenth once again marked the start of the Wawa Welcome America festival that brings 16 days of family fun and learning to Philadelphia. Here's the free events that took place on Sunday, June 19, 2022.
Free Admission to African American Museum in Philadelphia
Wawa partnered with the African American Museum in Philadelphia to honor the history of the federal holiday by inviting everyone to experience African American heritage and culture at AAMP in the Old City neighborhood.
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Visitors enjoyed free admission to the museum from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
People explored the art galleries and historical exhibits on Sunday.
Juneteenth Block Party
You didn't need to enter the museum to celebrate the legacy of emancipation at the Juneteenth Block Party. AAMP partnered with Wawa and Visit Philadelphia to host this family-friendly outdoor event from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Festivalgoers watched live performances from international and local artists, a community marketplace featuring Black-owned businesses, vendors, community partners and food trucks. They also got moving with hands-on activities including art-making and line dancing.
Photos: Wawa Welcome America: Juneteenth Block Party
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They also checked in with folks from the Pennsylvania Turnpike and E-ZPass during the block party for a chance to win up-front access to the grand July 4 concert featuring Jason Derulo and fireworks on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.
The History of Juneteenth
Juneteenth has its roots in the freeing of people who were previously enslaved in Galveston, Texas more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation. Although the Emancipation Proclamation freed people who were enslaved in the South in 1863, it could not be enforced in many places until after the end of the Civil War in 1865.
On June 19, 1865, Union Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger and his troops arrived at Galveston with news that the war had ended and that the enslaved were now free. The following year on June 19, celebrations began in Galveston and the observance has grown nationwide since.
Full Details on Wawa Welcome America Day 1 Festivities
Juneteenth Block Party at AAMP
When: June 19, 2022 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Where: Outside the African American Museum in Philadelphia
701 Arch St., Philadelphia, PA 19106
Explore the AAMP with Free Admission
When: June 19, 2022 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Where: African American Museum in Philadelphia
701 Arch St., Philadelphia, PA 19106
