Elizabethtown College honors Juneteenth, observed this year on Friday, June 19, an annual observance of the 161st anniversary of Union troops arriving in Galveston, Texas, to enforce emancipation. The day serves as a time to commemorate liberation and an opportunity to reflect on our shared responsibility to uphold freedom, justice, and human dignity.
In observance of the federal holiday, non-essential administrative offices will close on Thursday, June 19, at noon and reopen for normal hours on Monday, June 22. Summer classes will continue on their regular schedules. The Marketplace will be closed on Friday, June 19, and reopen on Saturday, June 20, at 7 a.m. The Jay’s Nest will be closed on Friday, June 19, and reopen for summer modified hours on Monday, June 22.
The High Library will be closed at noon on Thursday, June 18, and will remain closed on Friday, June 19. The Bowers Center for Sports, Fitness, & Well-Being will close at 1 p.m. on Thursday, June 18, and reopen for normal summer hours on Monday, June 22.
We encourage the Etown community to reflect on Juneteenth’s history and legacy and to engage in local events and resources that foster learning, reflection, and meaningful dialogue:
Events in Lancaster/Lebanon:
- Juneteenth Celebration at Landis Valley | Friday, June 19, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. | Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum, 2451 Kissel Hill Rd.
- Juneteenth Block Party | Friday, June 19, from 2 to 6 p.m. | 466 Rockland St.
- Flag Raising Ceremony & Reception | Friday, June 19, at 9 a.m. | Lancaster City Hall, 120 N. Duke St.
- “The Prospect for Freedom: W. Miller Barbour’s Human Rights Journey” Documentary Film Screening | Friday, June 19, at 10 a.m. | Pennsylvania Chautauqua Hall of Philosophy, 212 Gettysburg Avenue, Mount Gretna
- 5th Annual Juneteenth Cultural Mixer | Saturday, June 20, from 1 to 5 p.m. | Crispus Attucks Community Center, 407 Howard St.
- Freedom Jazz Festival | Sunday, June 21, from 3 to 7 p.m. | Binns Park & Ewell Plaza, 145 N. Queen St.
Events in Harrisburg:
- Juneteenth Jubilee | Friday, June 19, from 2 to 8 p.m. | Riverfront Park, 200 S. Front Street
- Juneteenth Parade | Saturday, June 20, at noon | Downtown Harrisburg, starting at the Capitol Complex
- Looking Back, Reaching Forward | Saturday, June 20, at 6 p.m. | Open Stage, 25 N. Court St.
- Juneteenth HBG Grand Finale Concert | Saturday, at 8 p.m. | Capital City Music Hall, 234 N. 2nd St.
Online Resources:
- Juneteenth Reading List
- Virtual Education Resources – National Museum of African American History and Culture
- Voices of Slavery: Interview with Laura Smalley, Hempstead, Texas, 1941
- What is Juneteenth and Why Does it Matter: A Short History | Journey to American Democracy with Historian Heather Cox Richardson