Baylor Joins Greater Waco Community for Juneteenth Celebrations

Contact: Lori Fogleman, Baylor University Media and Public Relations, 254-709-5959
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WACO, Texas (June 10, 2024) – Baylor University will join with the Greater Waco community in celebration of Juneteenth, a national holiday that commemorates the end of slavery in the United States.

Two months after the end of the Civil War and more than two years after President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, on June 19, 1865, to bring the news of freedom for all enslaved people. Juneteenth is one of the longest-running African American holidays and was designated a federal holiday in 2021.

Juneteenth 2024 Events in Waco

CTAACC Juneteenth Community Parade

The Cen-Tex African American Chamber of Commerce will hold its annual Juneteenth Community Parade Celebration at 10 a.m. Saturday, June 15, beginning at Heritage Square on Austin Avenue in downtown Waco. The parade will move from Heritage Square, cross the Washington Avenue Bridge, turn on Elm Avenue and end at the historic Paul Quinn Campus.

Among the Baylor University groups participating in this year’s parade include the Baylor Women’s Basketball team, Baylor Libraries, Baylor Law, Baylor Bear Habitat (carrying the Sailor Bear balloon) and the Baylor Office of External Affairs. 

For more information, contact CTAACC at 254-235-3204 or info@centexchamber.com.

McLennan County NAACP Juneteenth Community Celebration 

The McLennan County NAACP will hold its annual Juneteenth Community Celebration from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 15, at a new location: Bridge Street Plaza, 200 E. Bridge St., in Waco. The event includes food, fun and music.

 94.5 The Beat Annual Juneteenth Family Fun Day: R&B in the Park 

Waco radio stations Magic 94.5 and The Beat 107.3 will host the annual Juneteenth Family Fun Day: R&B in the Park from 3 to 9 p.m. Saturday, June 15, at Brazos Park East, 3516 N. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., in Waco. The celebration includes live DJ performances, food vendors, KidZone activities for the entire family and more. General admission tickets are $10 and can be purchased through EventBrite. For more information, call 254-300-6330 or 254-772-0930.

Juneteenth Celebration at The Baylor Club 

The Baylor Club will hold its annual Juneteenth Day of Celebration, Recognition and Community from 2 to 6:30 p.m. Saturday, June 15, at the Baylor Club, 1001 S. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., in Waco. The event features traditional Southern cuisine, entertainment, guest speakers and fun for all ages. Tickets are $30 for adults and $15 for children (ages 5-12).

Baylor University Juneteenth Holiday

Baylor University will be closed Wednesday, June 19, 2024, in observance of Juneteenth.

Additional Juneteenth Resources

Baylor University's Institute for Oral History has created a resource to experience Waco’s Black history through the Waco History app. Through this app, people can take the African American tour and explore the local landscape of African American history through interactive maps, photos, and oral histories. Learn more about the people, spaces, places, and events that have helped shape Waco's history!

Waco History is a joint product of Baylor University Libraries’ Institute for Oral History and the Texas Collection.

ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY

Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked Research 1 institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 20,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 100 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions.