Grand Rapids is preparing for the sixth annual Justice 4 All Juneteenth Jam, a free community celebration of Black art, entertainment, culture and experience set for June 19 from 4 to 8 p.m. outside the Grand Rapids African American Museum and Archives (GRAAMA) at 41 Sheldon Blvd. SE.
The event will activate GRAAMA’s Sheldon Boulevard location, bringing music, performance and community gathering directly outside the museum for an afternoon centered on celebration and culture. The Juneteenth Jam has previously taken place in downtown Grand Rapids at major public gathering spaces, including Rosa Parks Circle and Calder Plaza, before settling into its current home outside GRAAMA.
Organizers describe the Juneteenth Jam as a family-friendly celebration honoring Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day, Jubilee Day, Liberation Day and Emancipation Day. The holiday marks June 19, 1865, when Union soldiers led by Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, and announced that the Civil War had ended and that enslaved African Americans were free.
This year’s festival will include live performances from local artists, businesses and DJs, along with a talent showcase and interactive activities for children. More than 55 vendors are expected, including a significant number of Black-owned businesses, alongside informational tables and community resources. Organizers also note that more than 30 dancers are expected to participate, adding to the day’s lineup of regional and local talent.
The Justice 4 All Juneteenth Jam is organized by Julius Rogers through Justice 4 All, an apparel company he founded in 2020. In a statement, Rogers reflected on the origins of both the company and the event and the broader social context that shaped them.
“2020 exacerbated and partially exposed the perpetual injustices and inequities that continue to impact Black and Brown communities,” Rogers said. “I have been trying to navigate a multitude of emotions surrounding all of the incredible injustices that have been taking place. Trying to figure out the right outlet for my mixed bag of feelings has been one of the most challenging tasks.”
He continued, “Any optimism that I find has most often been met with equal or greater pessimism. During these times it can be very tempting to slip into a space of despair and hopelessness. But when I think back on the words of the great American author and activist James Baldwin, I am reminded that, ‘I can’t be a pessimist because I am alive. To be a pessimist means that you have agreed that human life is an academic matter. So, I am forced to be an optimist. I am forced to believe that we can survive, whatever we must survive.’ So just as my ancestors did before me, I will survive what I must survive.”
Rogers said emancipation in the United States was “not willingly given, it was fought for, and won,” adding that Juneteenth should be recognized as a true day of freedom.
“JUSTICE 4 ALL is an apparel company I have established that’s sole purpose is to challenge, and disrupt America’s post racial fallacy by stimulating constructive, actionable, and necessary dialog through community engagement,” he said. “The Justice 4 All Juneteenth Jam is a direct result of my mission and vision.”
He described the event as a reflection of that purpose, rooted in education, culture and community connection.
“We invite you to join us on a journey that may not be easy but is profoundly necessary in order to continue moving forward,” Rogers said.
The event remains free and open to the public.
