Celebrating Juneteenth
Los Angeles County joins communities across the nation in recognizing and celebrating Juneteenth. This day, also known as Freedom Day, commemorates June 19, 1865, the date when news of liberation reached enslaved people in Galveston, Texas — two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. This substantial delay in liberation was not a failure of communication but a deliberate consequence of military and economic suppression.
To learn more about the history of Juneteenth, read the motion adopted by the Board of Supervisors this week, “Commemorating Juneteenth Throughout Los Angeles County.”
We invite you to join us in commemorating this holiday at some of the various Juneteenth events happening across the County below. Here are details about free admission at our County museums in commemoration of this holiday (along with a few collection highlights that speak to the African American experience):
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La Brea Tar Pits
- Free Admission at La Brea Tar Pits & Museum
- Location: 5801 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036
- Date: Friday, June 19, 2026
- Time: 9:30am – 5:00 pm
- The La Brea Tar Pits is offering free admission all day.
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LACMA
- Free Admission and Jazz Concert at LACMA
- Location: 5905 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036
- Date: Friday, June 19, 2026
- Time: 3:00 pm – 8:00 pm
- LACMA will provide free admission to LA County Residents (with valid ID) and a free jazz concert at 6:00 pm.
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- Free Admission and Art Parade at LACMA
- Location: 5905 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036
- Date: Saturday, June 20, 2026
- Time: 10:00 am – 7:00 pm
- LACMA will provide free admission as well as a free public community block party.
- Reserved tickets are required. Click here for tickets and more information.
- Click here for more information about the Art Parade.
Collection Highlights
- In the David Geffen Galleries, Lauren Halsey anchors a gallery with a 10-foot sphinx and wall relief blending Afrofuturism and ancient Egyptian forms with her South Central L.A. neighborhood.
- Todd Gray’s 27-foot assemblage Octavia’s Gaze honors author Octavia Butler while tracing an imagined archive of Afro-Atlantic transit.
- In the Resnick Pavilion, Mark Bradford’s 150 Portrait Tone is a mural-scale work blending abstraction and realism, exploring questions of representation through paint and collage.
- In the Keck Foundation Gallery, Christina Quarles’ Now We’re There (And We’ Only Just Begun) is the inaugural show in a new series for living artists, exploring identity and the body.
- Also in the Resnick Pavilion, Lyndon J. Barrois, Sr.’s Fútbol Is Life (through July 26) presents miniature soccer “sportraits,” tying directly into the World Cup’s arrival in LA.
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Natural History Museum
- Free Admission at Natural History Museum
- Location: 900 Exposition Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90007
- Date: Friday, June 19, 2026
- Time: 9:30am – 5:00 pm
- The Natural History Museum is offering free admission all day.
Collection Highlights
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- The “Becoming Los Angeles” exhibit and the Barbara Carrasco mural, both part of NHM’s permanent collection, uplift the stories and history of African Americans in Los Angeles.
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For more information on additional upcoming events, visit the LA County Library’s page here: lacountylibrary.org/celebrate-juneteenth
Juneteenth Freedom Buttons
- Thursday, June 18, 2026
- 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM
- Woodcrest Library
Come to the library to learn all about Juneteenth, how we honor the people that were affected and why it is important. You will create wearable art in the form of buttons that you make yourself. For tweens and teens, ages 12 – 18.
Join Us for a Juneteenth Celebration at the Korean Bell of Friendship!
- Friday, June 19, 2026
- 10:30 AM – 12:15 PM
- Korean Friendship Bell, 3601 South Gaffey St, Los Angeles, CA 90731
Come celebrate freedom, unity, culture, and community at one of Los Angeles’ most beautiful landmarks!
We encourage everyone to register in advance so we can better plan for refreshments and ensure a great experience for all attendees.
Bring everything you need to enjoy a picnic and a day at the park:
- Blankets and lawn chairs
- Picnic baskets and snacks
- Kites and outdoor games
- Family and friends
- Your community spirit!
This celebration is for all ages. Whether you come to learn, reflect, connect, or simply enjoy the day with loved ones, we welcome you to join us as we honor the significance of Juneteenth and celebrate the progress we’ve made together.
Let’s gather in fellowship, celebrate our heritage, and create lasting memories with family, friends, and community.
City of Lakewood Juneteenth Celebration at Monte Verde Park
- Sunday, June 20, 2026
- 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM
- Monte Verde Park
- 4626 Shadeway Road, Lakewood, 90713
The City of Lakewood invites residents to take part in this free community event on Saturday, June 20 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Monte Verde Park.
Whether you come for the community dialogue, vendor show, children’s activities or simply to celebrate together, Lakewood’s Juneteenth event offers a meaningful way to honor history and connect with the community. Activities include:
- Black-Owned Business Vendor Fair
- Library Craft Area and storytimes
- Free dance lesson