Cubs Honor Juneteenth as Black Entrepreneur Experience Returns for 5th Year

Juneteenth is the oldest celebration of the end of chattel slavery in the United States. A portmanteau of “June” and “nineteenth,” it marks the day in 1865 when federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, to ensure all enslaved people were freed. Though President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation more than two years earlier, it could not be enforced in Confederate-controlled areas.

That’s why it wasn’t until June 19, 1865, that Union Major General Gordon Granger arrived in Texas to finally announce the freedom of 250,000 enslaved Black Texans. Juneteenth is not just a celebration of emancipation, but of Black culture and achievement. It has been recognized as a federal holiday since 2021, and the Cubs have been hosting an event at Gallagher Way for the last five years.

For more details on the upcoming Juneteenth celebration, see the media release below.

The Chicago Cubs will celebrate Black culture, entrepreneurship and community at Wrigley Field Friday, June 19, during the club’s Juneteenth Celebration. In recognition of the national holiday, the Black Entrepreneur Experience will return to Gallagher Way for the fifth consecutive year, providing a platform for local Black-owned businesses to highlight their products and connect with fans before the Cubs take on the Toronto Blue Jays at 1:20 p.m. CT.

The experience will open at 10:50 a.m. CT, offering fans the opportunity to shop for merchandise and sample delicious food while enjoying a special pregame performance from Chicago-born blues artist Wayne Baker Brooks at Gallagher Way. Some of the participating businesses include:

• Edibles By Design
• Gratitude Chicago
• Mag’s Legacy Cakes and More
• Ruby Fine Hibiscus Tea
• Taylor’s Tacos

Pregame festivities inside the ballpark will also spotlight Black excellence. The nationally recognized Leo Catholic High School choir will sing the national anthem and Black national anthem in addition to the Canadian national anthem. Rainbow PUSH Coalition President and CEO Yusef D. Jackson will throw out the ceremonial first pitch.

Additionally, the Cubs will recognize UNCF, a nonprofit organization supporting historically Black colleges and universities and empowering students through scholarships, academic programs and educational resources, on the field during a pregame ceremony.

For more information on the Juneteenth Celebration or to purchase tickets, please visit www.cubs.com/specials.