JUNETEENTH HISTORY:
Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, to enforce the Emancipation Proclamation. This took place more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the proclamation, finally bringing news of freedom to approximately 250,000 enslaved people in Texas.
Historical Milestones:
January 1, 1863: President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, declaring enslaved people in Confederate states free. However, enforcement depended on Union military presence.
June 19, 1865: Union Major General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, and read General Orders No. 3, announcing that all enslaved people were free under the below circumstances:
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No Gathering at Military Posts: The order explicitly stated that newly freed people would "not be allowed to collect at military posts".
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Stay and Work: It strongly advised formerly enslaved people to remain at their current plantations and "work for wages".
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No "Idleness": The military warned that they would "not be supported in idleness either there or elsewhere".
1866: Formerly enslaved Texans organized the first official “Jubilee Day.” As Black Americans migrated across the country, they carried the Juneteenth tradition with them.
1980: Texas became the first state to recognize Juneteenth as an official state holiday.
June 16, 2020: Montgomery County, PA made Juneteenth a County Holiday with a 2 out of 3 vote.
June 17, 2021: President Joe Biden signed legislation making Juneteenth a federal holiday.
Traditions and Significance:
Historically celebrated through prayer services, music, food, family gatherings, and community events, Juneteenth remains a powerful time to honor African American resilience, culture, freedom, and the ongoing pursuit of justice and equality.
Below are ways Juneteenth is being celebrated throughout Montgomery County, PA 2026.
JUNETEENTH 2026 MONTGOMERY COUNTY GUIDE
Please reach out to individual organizers directly with any questions:
POTTSTOWN: JUNE 13
2K Walk for Kidney Disease & Heart Awareness in honor of Antoine Johnson
Location: Riverfront Park
140 College Dr.
Pottstown, PA 19464
Registration: 9:30 AM
Walk Begins: 10:00 AM
Cost: $20 per person
Pottstown Juneteenth Block Party - June 13
Free 11am - 6pm
Pottstown Juneteenth VIP Meet & Greet - June 13
12:30pm - 2:00pm
Pottstown Juneteenth After Party - June 13
7pm - 11pm
Hatfield Township Juneteenth Celebration - June 13 2pm - 8pm
Juneteenth Cometh
Montgomery County Juneteenth Flag Raising
Norristown - June 16 10am - 11am
Montgomery County Courthouse
At the corner of Swede & Airy Streets in Norristown, PA
Ambler June 16 @ 6:30pm
Ambler Borough Hall
131 Rosemary Avenue
Ambler, PA 19002
Cheltenham Juneteenth Flag Raising
June 18 @ 12:00pm
Hatfield Township - Juneteenth Flag Raising
June 18 @ 6:00pm
Pottstown Juneteenth Gala - June 19
Bear Creek Resort
Hors D'Oeuvre 6:30pm - 7:00pm
Ballroom Doors Open 7:00pm
Salem Juneteenth Two-Day Celebration
Salem Baptist Church - Day 1
June 19, 2026
6pm - 9pm
Old School Block Party
Salem Baptist Church
Salem Juneteenth Two-Day Celebration - Day 2
June 20, 2026
12pm - 5pm
Salem Baptist Church
2741 Woodland Road
Abington, PA 19001
Norristown - June 19
The 2026 Juneteenth Jubilee Street Festival
12 - 6 p.m. at DeKalb and Main streets.
Street closures will be in effect on June 19 from 6 a.m. - 8 p.m. for Main Street (between Swede and Mill) and DeKalb and Green streets (between Lafayette and Penn).
Norristown ELMWOOD PARK ZOO
June 19 10am - 5pm
1661 Harding Blvd.
Norristown, PA 19401
In celebration of Juneteenth, we are pleased to offer Norristown Borough Residents (Area Code 19401) free admission to the Zoo and the Charles L. Blockson Exhibit at the Centre Theater.
Forgotten History Tours at Pottsgrove Manor
Saturday, June 20th, 10am- 4pm - Free Admission
Juneteenth @ Pottsgrove Manor features special
Black History-themed tours. See the Manor through the eyes of the free and enslaved individuals who lived and labored in Pottsgrove family households and the larger iron industry.
Pottsgrove Manor
100 West King St
Pottstown, PA 19464
Suggested donation $2