Manhattan Beach Celebrates Juneteenth For The First Time

MANHATTAN BEACH, CA — Manhattan Beach’s first-ever city sponsored Juneteenth Ceremony and Celebration is set to redefine an unsavory legacy in the city to honor the history of Black people in the city.

Resident Tim Jones said he was involved with getting the city on board with sponsoring a Juneteenth event over the past year. Jones said the support of officials and the community in the making of these events shows the real spirit of Manhattan Beach.

"What was once known as one of the most racist cities in America, with only 0.5 percent of the population being Black, has actually agreed to have a Juneteenth celebration," Jones said.

The first event of the festivities is the Juneteenth Ceremony at Bruce's Beach Park on June 19 from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Speakers from the community as well as special guests and a gospel choir will honor African-American history at the storied site.

In 2023, the Manhattan Beach City Council officially adopted a resolution of apology to acknowledge the city's role in the procurement of properties from five Black families, including the Bruces. The resolution specifically mentioned the city's role in excluding Black Americans from its beach by using the police department to cause, "terror and intimidation among the Black community."

“If one steps back to view the landscape, the most spiritual and solemn event planned will occur at Bruce's Beach Park exactly 100 years after the land was wrongfully seized from the Bruce family by the City of Manhattan Beach,” Jones said.

Festivities also include the Juneteenth Celebration and Concert at Polliwog Park which will feature live music, delicious food and vendors. The family-friendly celebration will be held on June 22 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The Manhattan Beach Library will also host an in-person program on June 22 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. that features special performances by Ina the Sunshine Storyteller and Chazz Ross and a local history discussion of the significance of Juneteenth.

For more information about Manhattan Beach's Juneteenth festivities, visit the city's webpage.