Learn the Legacy
Honoring those who came before, and carrying their work forward. This is our story, rooted in Saginaw's soil and carried in the hearts of our community.
The story behind the day
Watch how Juneteenth became a celebration of freedom, remembrance, and resilience. From enslaved people learning of their liberation on June 19th, 1865, to a national day of reckoning and joy.
Freedom's echo
June 19th marks the day enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas learned of their emancipation.
A nation remembers
From regional celebration to federal holiday, Juneteenth has grown into a day of national significance.
A legacy born in Saginaw
In the 1990s, Lula Briggs-Galloway brought Juneteenth celebrations to Saginaw's streets, transforming a day of remembrance into a living, breathing festival. Her vision gave our community a gathering place to honor freedom and celebrate Black excellence.
Lula founded the National Association of Juneteenth Lineage and secured Congressional recognition in 1997, establishing Juneteenth as a day of national significance. Her work ensured that the story of June 19th would be told and retold across generations.
Through the Juneteenth Creative Cultural Center and Museum, and her book "Juneteenth: Ring the Bell of Freedom," Lula created spaces where our history could be preserved, studied, and passed on. Her legacy lives in every page, every artifact, and every story shared.
Carrying the legacy forward
Renee founded the Saginaw Juneteenth Celebration in 2021 as a program of COSBE — the Chamber of Successful Black Entrepreneurs — the Saginaw organization she leads to empower Black business owners and advance community growth through education and enterprise. What began as a vision has become our annual gathering—a parade through our streets and a two-day festival that honors those who fought for freedom.
A living tribute
Each year, we gather to celebrate the courage of freedom fighters and the resilience of our people.
A gift to community
The parade and festival are more than events—they are our way of saying thank you to those who came before.
What we stand for
Saginaw's Juneteenth Celebration is more than a single weekend. We're a resource on Juneteenth history, culture, and heritage — and a growing collaboration with the City of Saginaw, the State of Michigan, and the organizations working alongside us to honor African American legacy in our community.
Sharing the story
Juneteenth is a celebration of freedom, but it's also a celebration of what comes after freedom — education, accomplishment, financial literacy, self-improvement, and long-term planning. We work to make that fuller story part of Saginaw's public conversation.
Engaging the community
From the Juneteenth Freedom Parade to the Celebration Festival, our programs bring history into the streets and into people's lives. And we plan to keep growing.
Building collaboration
We work with the City of Saginaw, the State of Michigan, and local organizations and businesses to build something bigger than any single event — a unified celebration of African American culture and contribution in Saginaw and beyond.
The power of legacy
Honoring Saginaw's legacies past and present
What legacy means
Legacy is the passing on of knowledge, as a guiding light for those who follow.
Why it matters now
In 2026, we honor both the giants who built this movement and the young people carrying it forward.
Our responsibility
We stand on the shoulders of Lula Briggs-Galloway and countless others who refused to let history fade.
Help us carry the legacy forward
Every donation and sponsorship keeps this tradition alive for generations to come.
