The Juneteenth615 Freedom Exposition & Fireworks Celebration will take place June 19 from 5 to 9:30 p.m. at Centennial Park in Nashville. The free event will feature cultural exhibits, live music, food vendors and family-friendly activities celebrating freedom, heritage and community. The evening will conclude with a fireworks display as part of the city’s Juneteenth observance. The event comes as Nashville also celebrates Black Music Month through a series of programs hosted by the National Museum of African American Music.

Several events are planned in Memphis this week to mark the 2026 Juneteenth celebration. The Douglass Freedom & Heritage Festival will take place June 18-20 in North Memphis' historic Douglass Park. The National Civil Rights Museum is offering free admission on June 19 until 2 p.m. CDT, including the museum's recently reopened "Legacy Experience," which focuses on the civil rights movement since the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The museum also this month launched the Bayard Rustin Institute to honor a trusted advisor to King who engineered the 1963 March on Washington. Also on June 19, the The Four Way Soul Food Restaurant will hold a special outdoor event. On June 20, the Elmwood Cemetery will hold a walking tour, the Black Farmers Market will take place and a festival will be held at Martyrs Park. Get details about these events in the Commercial Appeal and the Daily Memphian.

The University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law will host an event on June 25 with former U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander. The event will take place from 3-5 p.m. CDT in the Gordon Ball Reading Room. According to the law school, Alexander will present a “fascinating look into his journey navigating the political landscape from JFK to Trump.” In addition, the event will feature a fireside chat with several friends of the senator, including Bill Gibbons — executive director of the Public Safety Institute at the University of Memphis, former Shelby County district attorney and former special policy assistant to Alexander when he served as governor of Tennessee —and Buck Wellford, a shareholder at Baker Donelson. The event will wrap up with a Q&A session. The first 75 people to register will receive a free copy of Alexander's new book, "The Education of a Senator: From JFK to Trump," thanks to the generous support of Baker Donelson. Learn more or register online.

Just in time for Juneteenth celebrations, the National Museum of African American Music has launched Black Music Month 2026, a monthlong celebration marking both Black Music Month and the museum’s fifth anniversary. Held throughout June in downtown Nashville, the celebration features more than 15 events, including artist conversations, live podcast recordings, exhibitions, film screenings, community programs and industry gatherings. This year’s theme is “The Soundtrack Continues — 250 years in the making. Five years in the telling. Far from finished,” which honors the ongoing influence of Black music on American culture. Read more about the events throughout the month on the Music Row website.

The Bessie Smith Cultural Center will host its 2026 Juneteenth Celebration on June 19 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. EDT at the center in Chattanooga. The community event will feature live music, African drumming performances, food trucks, children's activities, opportunities to connect with local community organizations, free museum admission and screenings of the documentary "Juneteenth: Faith & Freedom." Admission to both the event and the museum will be free throughout the day.

The ABA Judicial Division will present “Order in the Court: Civility in Action” — a 90-minute webinar on June 12. The program will be the first from the new ABA Center for Civic Engagement, Education and Rule of Law. The session, free for ABA members and offered to others for a nominal cost, will begin at 3 p.m. EDT. “Disagreeing Better” is a nonpartisan initiative designed to model and promote how lawyers, judges and legal professionals can engage in civil, informed and constructive dialogue while disagreeing on important issues. The program will feature real-world examples and a candid discussion on how everyday interactions can strengthen institutional trust. Read more about the program or register here.

The Tennessee State Museum on May 30 will premiere a new documentary about the origins of the state flag and its designer, Captain Le Roy Reeves. A graduate of Johnson City College, Reeves originally planned to become a teacher. After a brief stint, he left teaching to take the Tennessee Bar Exam and joined his father’s law practice in Johnson City. Just as Reeves was beginning his law career, he decided to join the National Guard, earning the rank of captain. Disappointed with the state’s lack of heraldry and a unifying symbol for its three Grand Divisions, Reeves began drafting designs and selecting colors for a flag that would be “distinctly Tennessee.” For two years, Reeves appealed to legislators, military officials and civic groups before the flag was adopted on April 17, 1905. Read more in a press release from the museum and view a photo of Reeves' original sketch.

The Nashville Bar Association’s Diversity Committee is joining with the Tennessee Bar Association and the Stonewall Bar Association to walk in Nashville’s Pride Parade on June 27. The parade starts at 10 a.m. and is expected to run until 1 p.m. CDT. RSVP to participate. The lineup number will posted on the NBA website closer to the event. Thank you to Husch Blackwell and Spencer Fane for sponsoring the event. For more information about the parade, including parade rules and map, visit www.nashvillepride.org.

The Tennessee Department of Revenue will host a free webinar on Tennessee tax issues for auctioneers on May 26 at 9 a.m. CDT. During the session, department staff will discuss state tax issues for auctioneers, including information about the state’s sales tax, business tax and licensing, and access to the TNTAP system. The May webinar is part of a free series the department offers to the public. Register for the webinar on the department's website.

Legal Aid of East Tennessee, Hamilton County Juvenile Court, the Chattanooga Bar Association and the TBA Young Lawyers Division are sponsoring a free Family Law Advice Clinic on June 3 from 3-5 p.m. EDT. Volunteers are needed for the event, which will be held at the Dr. Carol B. Berz Family Justice Center, 5705 Uptain Rd., Chattanooga 37411. Contact TBA YLD District Representative Mary Frances DeVoe for more information. View a flyer for more information and to register.