Cherokee Nation to observe Juneteenth in Tahlequah

WHAT:
The Cherokee Nation will observe Juneteenth, the holiday commemorating the emancipation of enslaved people during a ceremony on Friday, June 19.

WHEN:
Friday, June 19 at 5:30 p.m.

WHERE:
Cherokee National Peace Pavillion
177 S. Water Ave.
Tahlequah, Okla.

WHO:
Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr.
Deputy Chief Bryan Warner
Council of the Cherokee Nation
Community members

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. - The Cherokee Nation will observe Juneteenth, the holiday commemorating the emancipation of enslaved people on Friday, June 19 in Tahlequah.

Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. will declare it Juneteenth in the Cherokee Nation Reservation, give task force updates and announce an agreement with Northeastern State University on an archive map.

In 2026, the tribe has more than 17,000 Cherokee citizens of Freedmen descent, with more than 9,000 of Cherokee citizens of Freedmen descent living in Oklahoma.

In 2020, Chief Hoskin signed an Executive Order on Equality, reiterating Cherokee Nation's commitment to equal protection and equal opportunity under Cherokee law.

The Hoskin/Warner administration also started the Cherokee Freedmen Art and History Project to ensure the voice of Cherokee Freedmen is elevated in Cherokee Nation museum exhibits and historical information.

In February 2024, Chief Hoskin expanded the executive order and created a task force to study whether Cherokee citizens of Freedmen descent are provided equal access to tribal programs and services.

The task force gathered data and worked to identify where gaps in services may exist, and during the Cherokee Nation's 2024 Juneteenth celebration, proposed strategies that will help to address any deficiencies for Cherokee citizens of Freedmen descent.