Juneteenth: The Freedom To Breathe
The Original Juneteenth Flag, with its ‘bursting star’ at the center, created by activist Ben Haith in 1997. (Courtesy of CNN)
The original Military Orders read by Union Army General Gordon Granger at Galveston Island on June 18, 1865. (Courtesy of Wikipedia)
The origins of Juneteenth, commonly known as ‘Jubilee Day’, traces its roots back two years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation Act went into effect in 1863. Southern plantation owners who were fearful of the Civil War’s blast radius carried their slaves to western states such as Texas to avoid the chaos. The Confederacy, a now charred society of estates built on the inhumane businesses of picked cotton, rolled tobacco and the commerce of trading families in bondage, was finally gone. Roundly defeated on its home soil.
Juneteenth’s History
News of The South’s demise failed to reach those new transplants to Texas, specifically Galveston Island outside of Houston on June 18, 1865, from the balcony of Ashton Villa. It was on this date when Union Army General Gordon Granger gave the military order to release the over 250,000 people enslaved by their captors. The joyous outcry of newfound freedom that took place the day after--June 19th--became the holiday that would increase in celebration dating back to the 1930s.
Cartoonist Thomas Nast’s “Emancipation: The Past and the Future” from 1865 depicts the hopes and aspirations of the newly freed descendants of those who survived The Middle Passage centuries before. (Courtesy of American Inquiry)
Protest site where George Floyd was murdered in Minneapolis. (Courtesy of ABDPost.com)
Juneteenth Now
Aside from a few cities that recognize our ‘independence day’ with Juneteenth events, there is little to no fanfare compared to the same level of recognition the Fourth of July receives annually. Most African-Americans barely circle the date on their calendar as it's often overlooked. Surprisingly, this year’s celebration has taken the national stage and has garnered a global appeal. The social and political environment of an already turbulent first six months is at the center. With police brutality and violent acts of white aggression both dominating the news cycle, videos of black people being murdered almost seem to be playing on a continuous loop with new names being attached to more stories of unspeakable grief prompting a historically deep-seated sense of outrage.
16th Street ‘Black Lives Matter’ mural leading to The White House shot from a space telescope. (Courtesy of Free Press Journal)
Since May 26th, 2020 people of all colors took to the streets in cities across the world to make their petitions of justice for George Floyd heard as his own place of death in Minneapolis has become an outpost of protest. The collective calls for justice in his case--as well as the other cases of police brutality and racial violence prior--are best seen in the giant yellow letters painted on 16th Street in our nation's capital. They spell out this generation of protesters' boisterous chant which can be seen from space telescopes thousands of feet above Earth: 'BLACK LIVES MATTER'.
The embankment of picket signs flushed against the now barricaded on the intersecting H Street entrance to Lafayette Square that leads to The White House matches the voices of those making their presence heard. Police brutality is just one example of systemic oppression unfortunately shaping our lives. Inequalities in the areas of housing, education, employment and access to health care remain at the top of the list. One area of concern that many people of all colors have started to take part in is the support of black-owned businesses and product lines since the start of the protests. A trend that has made corporate America take notice.
A live drum circle with Chilenia “Nina Ross” Jamison at the 2015 Juneteenth Celebration at the Jenkins Institute in North Charleston, South Carolina two days after the shooting at Bethel Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church that left nine people dead inside the cherished place of worship. (Courtesy of The Post & Courier)
Many consumers are finding new ways to celebrate Juneteenth’s history by using it as the start of a monetary divestment from local merchants and larger name brands that have either voiced their racist views or remained silent to our plight. The wake-up call has turned sights toward financially empowering brands invested in your growth as customers and our communities as a whole. This year’s broadening of the scope behind the celebration is a rejuvenating small step in the right direction closer to ourselves. A feeling that goes deeper than the worth of a dollar. Though a swift redirection of commerce is welcome during this time, we should also remember to celebrate Juneteenth in our own ways during this pandemic.
How To Celebrate Juneteenth
Juneteenth Events - In a time pre-COVID-19, parades were held all over the nation to show the jubilation of the historical day. The Galveston Juneteenth Celebration and Parade just outside of Houston, the Juneteenth Urban Music Festival in Memphis, Atlanta’s Juneteenth Parade and Music Festival and Dallas’ Hamilton Park Juneteenth Parade and Festival are some of the places that have held large scale celebrations in the past. Try to think of a few Juneteenth events you can do in small groups or virtually or safely in person.
Virtual Film Festival - Being able to connect with a great film with a large group of people is always a great thing. There are many black films online that resonate with the significance of the day and the joy that comes with being resiliently ‘us’ no matter the circumstances.
Build New Networks - As we celebrate Juneteenth, try to find new ways to extend your network to help enact the positive change you wish to see in your community.
From our distinct familial traits to the surnames that follow us, we are truly our ancestors. At the core of this celebration now capturing the world's attention is the blessing of conversations between elders and youth who share cultural experiences. It is a truth that also reaches complete strangers passing by a live drum circle rendered idle to the soul-reaching, beating timbre of a hollowed djembe. Juneteenth is a liberating call to each of us to reconnect with our past to better understand our individual steps to our collective future. One heard clearly in a time when our basic human liberty to breathe is constantly at stake.