How to observe Juneteenth 2022 in the Pittsburgh area
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- There are a number of activities and celebrations planned around the Pittsburgh region to mark Juneteenth.
Here's a look at a few of them.
Western Pennsylvania Juneteenth Celebration
The Western Pennsylvania Juneteenth Celebration is happening June 17-19 at Point State Park and Market Square in downtown Pittsburgh from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
"The parade is going to start on Saturday, June 18, at Freedom Corner. It goes down Fifth Avenue and onto the Point. And after the parade, we're going to have a voting rights forum," said William Marshall, founder of Stop the Violence Pittsburgh.
The list of national artists performing at the weekend celebration includes R&B group Klymaxx, Rose Royce and DJ Spinderella.
Stop the Violence Pittsburgh has been hosting free Juneteenth events since 2013, all celebrating the passage of the 13th Amendment, which marks the end of slavery for African Americans.
To look at the weekend lineup appearing at Market Square and The Point, check out this link to Visit Pittsburgh.
For more information, visit Facebook at this link.
"Art as Liberation: Celebrating Black Art in Pittsburgh"
This celebration of Black art in Pittsburgh is being hosted by PNC Park. The event is set for Saturday, June 18, from 12-4 p.m., at Federal Street and West General Robinson Street.
The event features 20 Black visual artists from Pittsburgh and their art. Art as Liberation will also feature a live DJ, free food, interactive workshops, and performers. It is free and open to the public.
For more information, click here.
Emancipation Days: Juneteenth in History @ Duquesne University
Duquesne University is hosting a free, virtual event that is open to the public. "Celebrating Juneteenth" will feature Samuel W. Black, the African American Program Director at Heinz History Center.
It will be held on Monday, June 20, from 10-11:30 a.m.
To register, visit this link.
Guided Tours @ Heinz History Center
On Saturday, June 18, at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., the Heinz History Center will be offering "The African American Impact on Western Pa. and Beyond" Guided Tour.
The tours explore "the achievements of African Americans in medicine, journalism, the arts, activism, and during World War II." It also focuses on "the city's unmatched Negro League baseball legacy and the careers of groundbreaking Black athletes from our region."
To find out how to buy tickets, click here for the 11 a.m. tour and here for the 1 p.m. tour.
Visit the August Wilson African American Cultural Center
Celebrate the life and work of Pittsburgh native and acclaimed playwright August Wilson by visiting this center for Black culture and arts in downtown Pittsburgh.
Click here to check out what galleries and exhibits the have going on right now.
For more information for visitors, click here.
Duquesne Light's BRIDGE BERG
More than 20 volunteers from Duquesne Light Co. helped clean up and beautify the central Hill District area on Friday, June 17. They picked up trash, mowed the grass and weed whacked, planted and fixed gardens and more.
BRIDGE BERG, DLC's first-ever Black and African American Business Employee Resource Group, was founded in 2020.
They partnered with Grounded Strategies, a nonprofit that works to improve the health of communities by revitalizing vacant land, for the event.
For more information on DLC's Juneteenth observance, click here.
