The Offices of the Ulster County Executive and County Clerk will host a Juneteenth Freedom Day event on Monday, June 17. This event will celebrate Juneteenth and also provide an update on the Ulster County Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s work. It will be held on the First Floor of the Government Office Building at 244 Fair Street in Kingston. It will run from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. and is free and open to all.

This year’s theme is “Ulster County Celebrates Juneteenth and Freedom through Truth and Reconciliation.” The Truth and Reconciliation website includes a searchable database of primary documents, an interactive map showing the locations of historic houses known to have been involved in enslavement, an overview of historic Black burial grounds, and a collection of stories chronicling the lives of historic African American people in Ulster County.

The Juneteenth event will demo the website, which is designed to be an accessible resource for educators, students, and the community. The goal of the website is to provide an honest and comprehensive understanding of the legacy of slavery in Ulster County.

“Celebrating Juneteenth is complex and vital to our understanding of freedom in America, particularly for African Americans,” said Ulster County Chief Diversity Officer Esi Lewis. “It reminds us of what we have overcome and achieved while encouraging us to continue our quest for equality. My favorite part is that Juneteenth is relevant to everyone in our own way to express freedom and its evolution. It unites us. Let’s come together as one community for Juneteenth to celebrate freedom and ensure freedom lives by being active and productive members of our society, by voting, being politically active and civically minded for the good of all.”