A Visual Chronicle of the Philadelphia Juneteenth Festival (2015-2022)
Compositions of Black Joy: A Visual Chronicle of the Philadelphia Juneteenth Festival (2015–2022) is a powerful celebration of Black families, freedom, and the community spirit that defines northwest Philadelphia.
Photographed by Tieshka K. Smith—official event photographer for nearly a decade—this vibrant collection brings to life the sights, sounds, and soul of the Philadelphia Juneteenth Festival in Germantown. From moments of joy and protest to tradition and transformation, Smith’s lens captures seven years of celebration rooted in a legacy of liberation and self-determination.
Inspired by her 2023 photography exhibit Documenting the Philadelphia Juneteenth Festival: A Visual Chronicle of Community, Resilience and Freedom, this book includes full-color images from the show, plus never-before-seen photographs and a selection of archival materials from 20th-century Freedom Day observances. Together, they tell the story of how Black Philadelphians have long used civic celebration as both resistance and renaissance.
More than a book—it’s a testament to Black joy as a living, breathing legacy.
Genres
PhotographyUnited States, History
ISBN
9798897785575
Format
Print / Paperback
Publication Date
6/14/2025
MSRP
45 USD
Status
On Demand
Target Audience
Trade
Contributor
Tieshka Smith
Author
Tieshka Smith is a Philadelphia-based photographer, curator, writer and content creator. Her artistic practice interrogates neighborhood change, civic identity and the marginalization of ideas in American society. Her photographs have been featured online, in print, and in galleries, museums, libraries, and other community spaces here on the East Coast and in the Midwest. A Chicago native, she holds degrees from Northwestern University and DeVry University’s Keller Graduate School of Management.