Celebrating Juneteenth

By Nikonie Brown-McManus and Michelle Sy-Savane

On June 19, 1865, Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas with the news that the more than 250,000 enslaved Black people in the state were free. This day became known as Juneteenth, a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the emancipation of enslaved African Americans.

What started as a celebration in Texas is now a celebration across the country, complete with picnics, parades, pageants and more. One of the traditions at Juneteenth celebrations is red food and drinks, including red velvet cake and strawberry soda. Red is meant to represent resilience and joy.

In June 2021, Juneteenth officially became a federal holiday in the United States. Learn more about the holiday on the official website.

Resources:

• The National Museum of African American History and Culture has a landing page all about Juneteenth here.
  • There is also a digital toolkit with information, programming, social media posts and video about the Juneteenth holiday here.
• The New York Times recently published an article on the history of the holiday.
• The Texas State Library & Archives Commission has a list of resources here.
• Juneteenth: What Every American Should Know is a Q&A with Lacey Hunter, an instructor in the African American and African Studies Department at the School of Arts & Sciences-Newark (SASN), Rutgers University, Newark.
• PBS features a page all about Juneteenth with information, videos and more.

Local Juneteenth events:

• June 16-18: Juneteenth Atlanta Parade and Music Festival​ at Centennial Olympic Park
• June 17: 2023 Juneteenth Celebration at The Home Depot Backyard
• June 17: For the Culture Fest at The Legacy Center
• June 18: Juneteenth at the Atlanta History Center

Photo credit: vadimrysev on iStock