“Juneteenth is a day of reflection, a day of renewal, a pride-filled day.  It is a moment in time taken to appreciate the African American experience.  It is inclusive of all races, ethnicities and nationalities as nothing is more comforting than the hand of a friend.”

Harambee,
This quote is representative of the essence of the Madison’s Juneteenth Day Celebration.  It embodies the goal that was established twenty-five celebrations ago.   “To empowered the Madison African American community to become a more productive part of the total Madison community”. Over the years, we believe that the Juneteenth Day Celebration has been the catalyst for showcasing and promoting the rich heritage of the African American experience locally.
Juneteenth is the one event that is totally dedicated to the African American experience here in Madison and across the nation.  We are aware of the challenges that impact African Americans living in Madison and Dane County but adversity is not a new to African American community.  For it was in the midst of slavery that our American experience was formed; while plowing fields and picking cotton “soul music”, was birth as an outward expression of hope in the midst of despair.  It is the freedom from what physically binds us that is celebrated every Juneteenth Day.  In 1865, it was slavery and today it is racial disparity.