Dive Deep: Juneteenth's Meaning Today

This year marks a new awareness and a deeper conversation around the #BlackLivesMatter movement and a deeper understanding of the need to examine the racism and white supremacy that has been intertwined with this country from the very beginning.

As part of this conversation, there has been a growing interest in Juneteenth, the holiday celebrating the actual end to slavery on June 19th, 1865. 

This was two years after the emancipation proclamation, and two months after the end of the civil war, (because according to the above song by The Roots, texas landowners wanted one more growing season.)

This date has been celebrated in the form of Juneteenth celebrations. In the following clip from 2015, Minnesota musician and actor T. Mychael Rambo explains, why Juneteenth is still commemorated and celebrated in Black communities today. 

In addition, below is an extended conversation from 6/19/20 about the history of Juneteenth, how and in what context Juneteenth is taught, and how Juneteenth intersects with larger movements such as #BlackLivesMatter, #BlackTransLivesMatter, and Pride. This is an important conversation as we struggle to put Juneteenth in context through the lens of 2020.

Finally this year in response to #BlackLivesMatter many companies have promised to recognize Juneteenth but there is a lot variation in how it will be recognized from recurring annual holidays to one time only optional moments of silence. But some are seeing these actions as performative allyship without meaningful substance behind it.

Juneteenth in the year 2020 is a moment to pause and sit with the racist and white suprematist history of this country. One period of this history included counting Blacks as 3/5's of a person and the widespread of holding Blacks as slaves because our country wanted free labor. Today this legacy can be seen in our criminal justice system, de facto segregated communities, and unequal access to resources such as money and public services. 

Celebrating Juneteenth is part of a much larger conversation so today I challenge you to:

• Participate or view one of the many Juneteenth celebrations happening virtually. 
• Listen to Black voices on the experience and effect of racism (Ex: Ted Talks focused on racism in America)
• Listen to Black musicians (Spotify will make it easy: The playlist ‘New Music Friday’ will exclusively feature black artists on Friday, June 19th). 
• Support Black-owned businesses. 
• Support Black authors. 
• Donate to Black-led organizations and nonprofits
• Watch media created by black artists (Plays, Films, ...)

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