Juneteenth is a recognition and celebration of the end of slavery in the United States.
A combination of the terms “June” and “nineteenth,” this holiday, which takes places annually on June 19, marks the date in which Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas in 1865, ensuring the freedom of all enslaved people in the state.
This year, the Johnson County Government is celebrating Juneteenth under the theme “Learn the Past…Change the Future.”
Learn more about a full week of events and activities on the County’s website, or stop by one of these individual events:
Juneteenth at the Johnson County Arts & Heritage Center
The Johnson County Arts & Heritage Center is launching its first-ever Juneteenth commemoration and celebration. This family-friendly event, built with community partners, provides an opportunity to honor the history and celebrate Juneteenth with art, music, food, and more.
Saturday, June 11 at 10 a.m.
Johnson County Arts & Heritage Center
8788 Metcalf Avenue, Overland Park, KS 66212
Johnson County Juneteenth Observance
Celebrate Juneteenth with Johnson County Government during this community observance event in the Johnson County Square. The event will include community speakers, historical readings and musical performers.
Sunday, June 19 at noon
Johnson County Administration Building
111 S. Cherry, Olathe KS 66061
3rd Annual Advocacy and Awareness Peace March and Rally
The Advocacy and Awareness Group of Johnson County invites you to this celebratory event in Downtown Overland Park. This family-friendly event aims to amplify the importance of learning the past so we can change the future.
The Overland Park City Council approved Resolution 4811, making this event a City-sponsored public event for 2022.
Saturday, June 18 at 11 a.m.
Thompson Park
8045 Santa Fe Drive, Overland Park, KS 66204
Special Exhibit – Redlined: Cities, Suburbs, and Segregation
This exhibit takes visitors on a deep dive into the history of redlining and how it both shaped and was shaped by Johnson County and the region. Visitors will learn about the 19th and 20th century foundations of redlining, how the private practice became federal policy during the Great Depression, the expansion of the practice during postwar suburbanization, attempts to dismantle the system during the Civil Rights Era, and how the legacies of redlining continue to impact communities around the nation today.
Open Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Closed Sundays and holidays
Johnson County Arts & Heritage Center
8788 Metcalf Avenue, Overland Park, KS 66212
Visit the Johnson County Arts & Heritage Museum to walk, read and learn about Black history. The stories posted for this special event will be “Opal Lee and What It Means to Be Free” by Alice Faye Duncan and “Change Sings” by Amanda Gorman.
June 11
Johnson County Arts & Heritage Center
8788 Metcalf Avenue, Overland Park, KS 66212
Learn more about a variety of community events recognizing Juneteenth in Johnson County on the County’s website.