the nation will celebrate Juneteenth as a federal holiday.

June 19th commemorates the day that enslaved people in Texas learned that they were finally free, marking the end of slavery.

Juneteenth National Independence Day is a time to celebrate and reflect on Black history.

"American Black Journal" contributor, Cecilia Sharpe, of 90.9 WRCJ, spoke with Marline Martin from the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History about the museum's plans for the holiday.

- Marline, you have two days of celebration at the Charles H Wright, and at the Eastern Market.

What's happening on June 18th, what can people expect?

- So on June 18th, it's really a collaboration with the city of Detroit.

So, most of the activities that will be there in Eastern Market will be provided by the city of Detroit.

Our contribution to that will be two of our traveling exhibitions will be there, which is "Walk to Freedom" and the "Underground Railroad," and they'll be there from 12:00 to 6:00.

And that kind of gives us a timeline of those two significant events in our nation's history as well as in our people's history.

This year, the way that we're recognizin' Juneteenth is really looking at, you know, education, we're looking at economic independence, we're looking at engagement.

So, we've developed like a number of activities.

The museum will be open on June 19th all day, a regular museum day from 9:00 to 5:00, with some extended activities outdoor until 6:00.

So when you enter the Wright Museum on Monday, one of the things that you will be greeted with is a video with a special Juneteenth video called "Freedom, Freedom, Freedom."

And it will be featuring the voices of the Macedonian Baptist Church choir.

They're singin' three freedom songs, "Freedom Over Me," "Ella's Song," and "Freedom is Coming," which is the traditional South African version of that.

And underlaid with that will be a brief narrative by our own Jamon Jordan, our city's historian, who will be giving us an overview of the Blackburns' family escape from Kentucky, to Detroit, to Canada.

So that's how you will be greeted, with that history.

Because we wanted to also do something special.

Of course, all of our exhibitions will be open.

Our core exhibition is "And Still We Rise," which is really our permanent exhibition that kinda hones us here with the history of African American resilience in the country.

So, you'll have an opportunity to go through that.

We also have two new exhibitions.

Derrick Adams' "Sanctuary," which is inspired by "The Negro Motorist Green Book," which was a guide for Black African Americans traveling in the United States during the Jim Crow era.

And also with most of our traveling exhibitions, we at the museum always do an accompanyin' exhibition that really speaks specifically to Michigan or to Detroit, to the city of Detroit.

So we have "The Michigan Green Book," so it really explores how Black Detroiters vacationed specifically in Michigan, like Edelweiss, you know, those places like that we're familiar with.

Then of course, there are the other exhibitions around.

But outside we will be having some activities, I said from 12:00 to 6:00.

We are partnering with our community leaders like the League of Women Voters, the Detroit Exoterian Play Theater, which will have some pony rides at Warren Avenue.

In a way, trying to recreate what it may have looked like in Texas, (laughing) you know, in 1865.

We also have the Detroit Hives, Detroit Black Farmer Land Fund, and the Detroit Black Community Food Network.

And we'll also have a vendors like Connect curating the food trucks, and Spice Rack catering, and Lala's Lemonade, (laughing) and more.

So, I'm a foodie as you can see.

(laughing) - I don't blame you, sign me up.

I'm a foodie as well, I love food.

- And I guess I'm leavin' the best for last because on stage... (laughing) - There's more?

- There is more.

On stage, there's a showcase presentation featurin' music by DJ Righteous.

We'll have MC J Bell to present live performances by cellist and vocalist, King Sophia; storytellin' and music by Mama Jara; we'll have diasporic drum, dance, and folklore, from Ngoma Za Amen-Ra; and Alnur African Dance Company.

And then we will culminate with a community dance, "Hustle for History" with Thomasina Johnson.

So if I were you- (both laughing laughing) - Right.

- I would put on my shoes and come right down to the Wright.

So I think our observation of this, as I said before, is really we wanna celebrate pride, resilience, and history.

But you know, it is that journey.

Juneteenth is about the journey from unsanctioned slavery right into the zenith of our human endeavors.

So, we are just encouragin' people to come out and participate and celebrate with us.

We wanna strengthen the ties that bind us both from the past as we go into the future.