With the newest federal holiday, Juneteenth, coming up on Friday, organizers have planned a variety of events to celebrate emancipation from slavery and reflect on American stories that often have been sidelined.

The jubilee, which Black communities had been celebrating for generations before President Joe Biden signed legislation in 2021 to make it a national holiday, has become a touchstone for broader debates about patriotism and the history of racism. While its proximity to the Fourth of July has long irked some detractors, Juneteenth this year coincides with an even bigger milestone: the nation’s 250th birthday.

JerriAnne Boggis, executive director of the Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire, said her team’s lineup of events — which begin Friday and run through June 28 — are intended to be experienced alongside the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. That document captured core American principles and aspirations, she said.

“If we really looked at the Declaration of Independence and strive for those ideals, we would be a stronger and better and more inclusive country than we are right now,” she said.

Juneteenth marks the anniversary of June 19, 1865, which is when the emancipation from slavery was announced in Texas, more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln’s proclamation. Texas was the first to recognize it as an official holiday, in 1980. A majority of the states have since followed suit, mostly in the past six years.

New Hampshire is the only state in New England that still doesn’t recognize Juneteenth as a holiday. State lawmakers rejected a proposal in 2024 that would have established the annual holiday. They decided keeping Juneteenth as an annual observance would be “the proper position for New Hampshire.”

Here are some of the Juneteenth events happening in New Hampshire:

June 17

The Hancock Town Library will host an event at 7 p.m. about the history of Juneteenth and books about African American history.

June 18

The Keene Public Library will host a film screening and Q&A on Thursday, June 18, at 6 p.m. about the 2026 documentary “Billy Preston: That’s the Way God Planned It.”

June 19

The Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire will host a Freedom Walk at 9 a.m., followed by a 10 a.m. ceremony at the African Burying Ground in Portsmouth to honor marginalized communities.

The Currier Museum of Art in Manchester will host an all-ages art-making event from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., with a special tour at 1 p.m. highlighting Black American artists.

Juneteenth Nashua will host a Freedom Day celebration from 2 to 6 p.m. at the Downtown Riverwalk.

A group called “DEI in the Lakes & Mountains” will host a celebration at Camp Hale in Center Sandwich from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.

The city of Keene, W.S. Badger, and the Keene Family YMCA will host a celebration from 5 to 8 p.m. at Fuller Park. The musician JohnLu will perform beginning at 6:30 p.m.

June 20

Juneteenth New England, organized by BWINH Inc., will host a celebration at 1 p.m. at Crossway Christian Church in Nashua.

June 21

The Black Heritage Trail will have live performers embody five historic African Americans from New Hampshire’s past at 11 a.m. in Portsmouth.

June 28

The Black Heritage Trail will offer a ticketed guided bus tour beginning at 10 a.m. in Portsmouth, followed by an interactive exhibit at 1 p.m. at the American Independence Center in Exeter.

This story appears in Globe NH | Morning Report, a free email newsletter focused on New Hampshire, including great coverage from the Boston Globe and links to interesting articles elsewhere. Sign up here.

Steven Porter can be reached at steven.porter@globe.com. Follow him @reporterporter.

KEENE, N.H. (WCAX) – A death investigation is underway in Keene after police say two people were found dead in their home.

Keene police responded to a home on Hurricane Road just after 11 Tuesday morning for a welfare check.

Inside the home, they found the bodies of a 70-year-old woman and her 72-year-old husband.

Both had gunshot wounds.

The incident is being investigated as a murder-suicide, and police say there is no threat to the public.

We’ll keep you updated as we learn more.

New Hampshire’s summer tradition, filled with chrome, leather, tattoos and motorcycles, is in full swing in the Lakes Region.

Known as the Nation’s oldest motorcycle rally, bike week’s epicenter is at Weirs Beach in Laconia, but events draw crowds as far south as the New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon and a free food stop on Route 9 between Keene and Antrim.

Once known for its rowdiness, motorcycle week has become big business for the state, attracting thousands of riders who come here and spend money. It even got a kickoff from Gov. Kelly Ayotte this year.

“Laconia Motorcycle Week is a New Hampshire tradition for motorcycle enthusiasts, and I’m proud to welcome riders from across the country and the world for this iconic event,” Ayotte said.

Now in its 103rd year, bike week began in 1916 and became official in 1917. For those doing the math, the tradition missed a few years on account of world events, like the Great Depression and World War II, according to its history page.

A motorcyclist rides along Route 3 in Laconia on June 16, 2026. Credit: ALEX MILLER / For the Monitor

While Thursday’s forecast holds rain, conditions have been good the rest of the week.

“The riders who visit us each year are respectful, generous and passionate about the open road,” said Cynthia Makris, owner of The NASWA Resort and president of the Laconia Motorcycle Week Association.

More information about this year’s Bike Week events can be found at https://laconiamcweek.com.