The Johnson House Historic Site will be hosting its 20th annual Philadelphia Juneteenth Festival on Saturday, June 20, from noon to 7 p.m. The event will take place along the 6300 block of Germantown Avenue and is free for anyone to come out, enjoy and celebrate.
While similar Juneteenth events are taking place across Philadelphia, Executive Director Cornelia Swinson explained the cultural significance of hosting this event at this particular location.
“What is more apropos to celebrate Juneteenth, but to celebrate in a way that recognizes what this house represents,” Swinson said. “We’re a national historic landmark designated in 1997 and it’s based on that history.”
Being one of the only intact historic sites on the Underground Railroad open to the public and actively touring, Johnson House prides itself on educating people about the city’s deep history. Through the Philadelphia Juneteenth Festival, they have the ability to showcase this history all day long with family-friendly activities geared towards the community.
“We have lots of music on the stage, dancing, eating, and purchasing from the vendors who are selling many of their cultural items, and just having fun,” Swinson said.
The event will include different types of vendors offering food, resources, merchandise, arts and crafts, and more. With such a large area of the street blocked off and an expected large attendance, this event takes a lot of time and preparation.
“First of all, there are weeks leading up to preparation, even months. We start soliciting funds to support the festival, because it’s expensive to host as a free community event,” Swinson said. “...It takes a real dedicated team to prepare.”
While financing comes with its difficulties, Swinson and her team are dedicated each year to putting on an educational and exciting event for the community. Swinson says two of the most important features to attend are a panel discussion exploring ongoing racial injustices in America, and live reenactments.
“Across the street, Concord School does a reenactment,” Swinson said. “They choose the title and they fund it as part of their contribution. Cliveden also does something around their history.”
In the past, featured workshops and panel discussions included topics such as the state of Black women leaders, housing equity, and what the future holds for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
“Yes, there’s a lot going on that’s fun, there’s reenactments, there’s kids’ village, but this is a serious holiday, and we have to discuss the issues that impact us,” Swinson said. “Our goal is to try to give you information and assemble the best folks that can answer your questions or provide you with some information that you may not have known about. ...We are increasing the understanding about the importance of Juneteenth and other issues that affect us in our community.”
This year’s workshop is entitled, “Camp William Penn to Juneteenth: A Philadelphia Story of Freedom Delivered,” and will be led by journalist and culturalist Bobbi Booker. The workshop will dive into the legacy of the Black soldiers who were trained at Camp William Penn and how they became a part of the broader effort to enforce emancipation across the South. Audience participation is highly encouraged, as this workshop will be offering question-and-answer and interactive discussions.
While the Philadelphia Juneteenth Festival is intended to be a place for all to enjoy and celebrate, the key takeaway is tracing this holiday back to its roots.
“What we hope will be gained from this is connecting that moment to the journey beyond 1865,” Swinson said. “Tracing how June 19th traveled through multiple generations before being recognized as a federal holiday in 2021. Then that arc helps participants understand Juneteenth is not just a date, but an evolving expression of freedom over time.”
