Juneteenth Ceremony Marks the First Step Toward Grand Opening of Expanded Museum
WASHINGTON, D.C. — On June 19, the African American Civil War Memorial and Museum will kick off a six-month journey of remembrance and celebration, culminating in the grand opening of a new $45 million museum dedicated to the Black soldiers who fought in the Civil War. This year’s Juneteenth celebration—held under a large tent across from the museum at 1925 Vermont Avenue NW—will begin at 11 a.m., honoring the legacy of freedom and the soldiers who made it possible.
The event will mark the first of several key dates leading up to the grand opening on Veterans Day, November 11, 2025, delayed from an earlier target of July 18 due to temporary congressional budget cuts affecting D.C. infrastructure.
A Historic Tribute: Reading the Names of Freedom Fighters
During the Juneteenth event, organizers will begin reading aloud the names of 6,000 Black soldiers from the United States Colored Troops (USCT)—men who traveled to Galveston, Texas with General Gordon Granger on June 19, 1865, to deliver the long-delayed news of freedom to more than 250,000 enslaved people.
“They stayed there for two years to ensure the newly freed people were truly freed and not re-enslaved to the same corn and sugar cane fields they had been forced to work,” said Dr. Frank Smith, founder and executive director of the museum.
The reading will eventually include all 209,145 names etched on the Wall of Honor surrounding the memorial—each name “rendered unto the universe,” as Smith put it.
From Enslavement to Service: The Fight for Citizenship
Dr. Smith has long emphasized that the museum serves a dual purpose: correcting historical omissions and honoring the role of African American soldiers in preserving the Union and ending slavery.
“When the Civil War started, African Americans had no pathway to citizenship… We don’t get a chance to fight for our freedom until Lincoln gets himself caught up in a war he can’t win without doing something about slavery,” Smith told a packed crowd in 2019 during the museum’s groundbreaking. “The nation paid no attention to these soldiers until we built a monument to them.”
A Six-Month Celebration of Milestones
Following Juneteenth, the museum will host a series of events marking pivotal moments in African American Civil War history:
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July 18 – A commemoration of the Battle of Fort Wagner, featuring a film festival and a screening of Glory, starring Denzel Washington. This date honors the bravery of Black troops who earned national recognition and inspired more African Americans to enlist.
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September 22 – A remembrance of the Battle of Antietam, after which President Abraham Lincoln issued the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, setting the stage for freedom.
Each event acts as a stepping stone toward the full reopening of the renovated museum in November.
A Museum with a Mission
The African American Civil War Memorial and Museum, long a cultural anchor in D.C.’s historic U Street Corridor, is undergoing a major transformation in the Grimke School building. The renovation aims to expand its exhibitions, archival collections, and educational programs to elevate the stories of African American soldiers.
Despite a brief funding setback due to federal budget adjustments, Smith confirmed that the project is back on track, with full funding expected in August to complete construction before Veterans Day.
Why This Juneteenth Matters More Than Ever
This year’s Juneteenth arrives at a time when, as Dr. Smith noted, “respect for the contributions of enslaved people and their descendants is diminishing.” The event seeks not only to commemorate a historic day but to restore national awareness of the sacrifices and achievements of Black Americans in the fight for freedom.
“This is more than celebration,” Smith said. “It’s a historical reckoning. It’s ensuring that these names, these lives, these legacies are never forgotten.”
As the nation pauses to mark Juneteenth, the African American Civil War Museum invites all to remember not just the moment of emancipation, but the people who made it real—Black soldiers who turned rifles into tools of liberation and paved the road from slavery to citizenship.
The celebration begins June 19 at 11 a.m. beneath the tent beside the statue of three bronze soldiers, who continue to stand watch—forever honoring a fight that redefined a nation.
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