Juneteenth 2021

Today, we celebrate and remember Juneteenth.

Juneteenth is a holiday that celebrates the release of African-Americans who had been enslaved in the United States for almost 3 years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed by President Abraham Lincoln in 1862.

On June 19, 1865 Major General Gordon Granger arrived in Texas to enforce the order outlawing slavery. This was almost two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation had been signed.

Juneteenth is short for June Nineteenth, which was originally called "Jubilee Day". Other names were "Black Independence Day", "Freedom Day", and "Emancipation Day".

Known as the Grandmother of Juneteenth, Opal Lee informed, lobbyied, and demonstrated for over 40 years to have Juneteenth recognized as a Federal Holiday.

Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee introduced the bill to make Juneteenth a holiday. She recently said "Juneteenth—with tears in my eyes when I made that gavel—shows America and shows the world that we can accept our differences and we can establish what freedom is all about."

Here are some ways to honor Juneteenth:

Shop at a Black-owned business. Here are some local farms:

  • Dreaming Out Loud

  • 3 Part Harmony Farm

  • Purple Mountain

Advocate for Critical Race Theory

Help decolonize our education system by supporting Critical Race Theory (CRT). Acknowledging CRT honors the integral contributions BIPOC people have made to our collective history.

Attend Anti-Racism Trainings at Work

  • Support your BIPOC co-workers by requesting Anti-Racism conversations be an active part of the culture at work.

  • We recommend "Awake to Woke" training by Equity in the Center.

Celebrate Juneteenth by:

  • Wearing the color red

  • Eating a red dessert (Red Velvet Cake)

  • Drinking a red drink (Homemade Strawberry Soda)

  • Follow #JuneteenthCookout2021 on Instagram for more recipe ideas from over 40 Black food bloggers

Red drinks and desserts are often served at Juneteenth celebrations in honor of the millions of enslaved African-Americans that shed blood in the United States.

Additional Resources

For more information about Juneteenth and the contributions of African Americans to our collective history, check out some of these resources below:

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