Minnesota Humanities Center steps up with with weeks-long Juneteenth celebration

The Minnesota Humanities Center (MHC) is celebrating Juneteenth with a series of events across the Twin Cities, honoring the history, culture, and continued struggle for Black freedom and equality.

Juneteenth, also known as Emancipation Day, commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans at the end of the Civil War. Though the holiday dates back to 1865, it was not recognized as a federal holiday until 2021 and became a Minnesota state holiday in 2023.

Kevin Lindsey, CEO of the MHC since 2019, said public awareness of Juneteenth has grown significantly in recent years.

“I thought with the passage of Juneteenth at the national and state level that we could shore up something painfully obvious,” Lindsey said. “Too many people in the United States do not know about the history of America through the lens of African Americans.”

The MHC is hosting four public events in recognition of the holiday, beginning June 18 with a conversation led by culinary historian and author Dr. Jessica B. Harris. The event, titled “Feeding Our Souls – The Essence of Juneteenth Joy,” will explore the historical significance of food in Black culture and storytelling. Attendees will also sample dishes prepared by local chefs.

“It’s a great opportunity to see how influential African American cooking has been,” Lindsey said. “Sometimes people have very narrow views of what the contributions have been for African Americans. We’ll have many different types of food being prepared here in the Twin Cities.”

On June 19, the MHC will host its annual Juneteenth Brunch in Minneapolis. Civil rights attorney and former NAACP Legal Defense Fund president Sherrilyn Ifill will lead a discussion on community, justice, and civil rights at a time when many say democratic values are under threat.

The programming continues into the following week, with a June 25 screening of “Reconstruction Destructed,” a documentary co-produced by MHC and OMG Studios. On June 27, the center will host a theatrical performance of “Kumbayah the Juneteenth Story: Special Edition,” written by Minnesota playwright Rose McGee.

Lindsey said MHC also plans to bring the “Reconstruction Destructed” documentary into K–12 public schools across the state.

“When we talk about African Americans breathing for the very first time freedom on these shores, and going to work right away starting colleges and universities — it’s nothing short of miraculous what those ancestors did in the first 20 years after the Civil War,” he said. 

“There are some individuals who would seek to diminish and try to restore them to the lowest place in the caste system in the United States. If we fail to appreciate that history, it allows it to ferment and grow.”

This year’s Juneteenth celebration also comes as Minneapolis marks five years since the murder of George Floyd, which sparked global protests against racial injustice and police violence.

“George, unfortunately, was not the first, and he was not the last,” Lindsey said. “How do we redouble our commitment to ensuring that we are all treated equally under the law?”

Lindsey said Floyd’s death was a reminder that the fight for justice is ongoing. “John Lewis was right — this work is not the work of one administration or one judicial decision,” he said. “It’s a work of a lifetime.”

This year’s celebration also takes place amid cuts to federal funding for humanities initiatives. The current presidential administration has proposed reductions to the National Endowment for the Humanities, which funds cultural programming across the country.

While MHC still receives support from Minnesota’s Legacy Amendment — a voter-approved initiative that allocates sales tax revenue to arts, culture and history — Lindsey warned that similar organizations elsewhere are struggling.

“If you were to travel an hour to the east in Wisconsin, you might have to knock on a door hard, because they had to furlough everybody,” Lindsey said. “They are not alone. Many humanities councils rely heavily on federal funds.”

Despite challenges, Lindsey said the center is already envisioning future Juneteenth programming. “We’ve had at least some conversations about maybe we should do music, maybe have a concert to go along with the brunch,” he said. “I think what I’d like to see is this balancing of education and the joy of living.”

MHC Juneteenth 2025 event schedule

• June 18 – St. Paul
  Feeding Our Souls – The Essence of Juneteenth Joy
  5:15 to 8:00 p.m.
  Minnesota History Center
  345 W Kellogg Blvd
• June 19 – Minneapolis
  Brunch and Community Conversation
  9:15 to 11:15 a.m.
  Quincy Hall
  1325 Quincy St. NE
• June 25 – Minneapolis
  Documentary Screening: “Reconstruction Destructed”
  6:00 to 9:00 p.m.
  Capri Theater
  2027 W. Broadway
• June 27 – St. Paul
  Theatrical Performance: “Kumbayah the Juneteenth Story – Special Edition”
  2:00 to 4:00 p.m.
  The O’Shaughnessy at St. Catherine University
  2004 Randolph Ave.

Tickets and full event details are available at www.mnhum.org.

Isabella Canizares is a contributing writer for the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder.