Demand Justice by Maxwell Emcays
Demand Justice by Maxwell Emcays Credit: Courtesy Chicago Park District

Lots of events happening this weekend to celebrate Juneteenth and more. Here’s some things to do in Chicago over the next seven days.

  • Sat 6/19, 1 PM-5 PM: DuSable Museum presents Earth and the Alter, an afternoon-long performance event to celebrate both Juneteenth and the reopening of the museum. The event was curated by artists Sadie Woods and Ben LaMar Gay and includes performances by Angel Bat Dawid and Hieroglyphic Being, avery r. young and de deacon board, and members of the Chicago Sinfonietta. It’s free and takes place outside on DuSable’s north lawn. Masks are required; go to DuSable’s website for more details.
  • Sat 6/19, 1 PM: Harold Washington Cultural Center at 47th and King Drive presents a Juneteenth celebration with performances by M.A.D.D. Rhythms, Blu Rhythm Crew, Broadway in Bronzeville, and the Happiness Club. A grocery giveaway will precede the performances at 11 AM. The event is free and outside in the center’s parking lot; see M.A.D.D. Rhythms’s website for details.
  • From M.A.D.D. Rhythms’s 2020 Juneteenth celebration.
  • Sat 6/19, noon: Bronzeville’s Absolutely Anything Essential Gift Shop joins with Yassa’s Senegalese restaurant and other local businesses to host a Community Day, featuring speakers and an outdoor farmers and artisans market from noon to 5 PM. More details at Eventbrite.
  • 6/19, 9 AM and then through 7/26: Chicago artist Maxwell Emcays created Demand Justice, an outdoor art installation that has been traveling around the Chicago area, and the Chicago Park District will host the sculpture at Queens Landing (500 S. Lake Shore Drive, just east of Buckingham Fountain) until 7/26. The artist will host 20-minute conversations about the piece at the top of the hour from 9 AM until 1 PM on Saturday.
  • Sat 6/19, 7 PM: The 6Degrees Composers consortium hosts a Juneteenth concert tribute to the composer and trombonist Melba Liston. It’s free and viewable at HotHouse Global’s Twitch channel.
  • Sat 6/19, 8 PM: Freedom Songs Juneteenth Celebration features the Original Chicago Blues All Stars Revue (with members of Willie Dixon’s original band) as well as singer and poet Ugochi with the Afro Soul Ensemble. It’s viewable in a free online presentation hosted by the Old Town School of Folk Music.
  • Mon 6/21, 8 PM: Artist Tesh Silver discusses her work with Coriama Davis in a free online presentation viewable at Lumpen TV. Silver has a window installation on view at Co-Prosperity in Bridgeport until 6/26.
  • Wed 6/23, 3:30 PM-7 PM: Time slots are available to view Chicago photographer, educator, and MacArthur Fellow Dawoud Bey’s exhibition “Dawoud Bey: Portraits From Chicago (1993-2001)” at the University of Chicago’s Washington Park Arts Incubator, 301 E. Garfield Boulevard. The exhibition is viewable Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays through 8/28.
  • Thu 6/24, 6:30 PM: Join the Reader’s Book Club online as we host an online conversation between author Fatimah Asghar and our co-editor in chief, Sujay Kumar.  v