The Hamilton Hill Arts Center Proudly Invites Your Participation in the 15th Annual Celebration of Juneteenth from June 19th to 20th at the Central Park & Vale Cemetery, Schenectady.

All events are free and open to the public!

• Friday Evening: Honoring Our Ancestors At Vale Cemetery’s Historic Ancestral Burial Ground
• Saturday All Day: Food, Vendors, Health Fair, Youth Talent Show Performances By Local Talent, Non-Profit Expo, Kids’ Activities Historic Displays, Hair Braiding Competition & More!

The Hamilton Hill Arts Center is proud to bring our annual Juneteenth celebration to the Capital Region, in commemoration of the end of slavery and the beginning of freedom for ALL Americans. Juneteenth is now celebrated in thirty states, the District of Columbia, and is an officially recognized New York State holiday. Please join us at Schenectady’s historic Vale Cemetery- a recognized stop on the underground railroad- on the evening of June 19, and in beautiful Central Park, on June 20. There will be something for everyone!

Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration commemorating the end of slavery in the United States. On June 19, 1865, Union soldiers led by Major General Gordon Granger landed at Galveston, Texas with news that the war had ended and that the enslaved were now free. This was two and a half years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation had become official (January 1, 1863). It had little impact on the Texans due to a lack of Union troops available to enforce the new Executive order. With the surrender of General Lee in April, 1865, and the arrival of General Granger’ s regiment, the forces were strong enough to overcome the resistance.