Celebrate Juneteenth: Liberation and Legacy

Commemorate the legacy of celebration, community and citizenship on Juneteenth.
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Two dramatic presenters sit on the porch of the Mattox Family Home in Greenfield Village.
  • June 19, 2026
  • 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
  • Greenfield Village
  • Free for members or with village admission.
Two dramatic presenters sit on the porch of the Mattox Family Home in Greenfield Village.

Celebrate Juneteenth: Liberation and Legacy

  • June 19, 2026
  • 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
  • Greenfield Village
  • Free for members or with village admission.
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Juneteenth is the nationally recognized holiday celebrating the end of American chattel slavery. The holiday originated in Galveston, Texas, when enslaved people were finally freed on June 19, 1865, nearly two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed. While Emancipation Days varied from state to state and occasionally town to town, Juneteenth has become an important date in American history to recognize the dream of liberty and justice for ALL.

Join us at The Henry Ford as we commemorate the legacy of celebration, community and citizenship on Juneteenth.

At the Mattox Family Home, watch cooking demonstrations using in-season recipes sourced from African American cookbooks to celebrate Emancipation Day across the American South. Then, visit A Taste of History restaurant to enjoy this same Emancipation Day Celebration Meal featuring barbecue ribs, combination greens, potato salad, devil's food cake with red coloring and hibiscus sweet tea. Plus, enjoy musical celebrations and programming throughout the village, including a special Black-Owned Business Day in Detroit Central Market.

Please note that full 2026 programming details will be finalized and reflected on this page closer to the event.

Black-Owned Businesses in Detroit Central Market

Black business and community investment have played an important role in building for the future. Discover and support metro Detroit area Black-owned businesses from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
*Vendors may change. Some vendors are cash only.

This experience is part of The Henry Ford’s commemoration of the country’s 250th anniversary. Throughout 2026, you’ll find special programming, new exhibitions and exciting events across our 250-acre campus that spotlight the history of American. This yearlong series explores how creativity and ingenuity have sparked change across centuries of American life, and how they continue to shape the future we all share. From revolutionary inventions to grassroots movements, stories of transformation will unfold across Greenfield Village, Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation, Giant Screen Experience and Ford Rouge Factory Tour.

For a complete list of The Henry Ford’s America 250 experiences, please click here.

Free Admission for Members

Become a member for free admission to Detroit Central Market Weekends, plus enjoy free parking and free general admission to the village and museum. Then use your membership to access more perks for a full year of fun.
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More to Explore

Band playing instruments on the stage in the Market.

Music in the Market

  • Detroit Central Market
  • May 23-24, Jun 13-14, Jul 18-19, Aug 29-30, Sept 19-20, 2026
  • Performance times vary
Join us for presentations of historically popular music from Metro Detroit. From Big Band to Folk, Greek to Great Migration, you will be delighted with immersive music history brought to  Detroit Central Market.
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Village staff demonstrate a game for a group of children o the Village Green

Games on the Green

  • Village Green
  • 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
Timeless and ingenious outdoor games from the early 1900s still captivate children of all ages. Play graces, skittles, hoop-rolling and stilts.
Artisan crafting glass vase in Greenfield Village

Glassblowing

  • Glass Shop
  • Daily
  • 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m.

Feel the heat of this 2,000-year-old art where skilled glassblowers demonstrate historical techniques with a modern twist.