Juneteenth

Juneteenth is a celebration o the day enslaved people in Galveston, Texas finally learned they were free on June 19, 1865, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation took effect.

Suffield held it's first Juneteenth celebration in June 2021.  The celebration featured many speakers and performers, along with some fun activities for everyone to enjoy. Some of the highlights of our first Juneteenth celebration included speeches from descendants of Venture Smith and a celebration honoring Tamer. Venture Smith was a man who was kidnapped as a child from Arica and enslaved in the Northeast. As an adult he purchased his own freedom and that of his family. Tamer was an enslaved woman who lived in Suffield.

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Each year our Juneteenth celebration evolves and grows. Details about the 2023 Juneteenth celebration will be coming soon.