Juneteenth: A Refreshing Holiday

“Today on Juneteenth, the day we celebrate the end of slavery, the day we memorialize those who offered us hope for the future, and the day when we renew our commitment to the struggle for freedom.” This quote from Angela Davis is a favorite of mine, honoring the new federally observed holiday: Juneteenth National Independence Day.

Short for “June Nineteenth,” Juneteenth marks the day in 1865 when federal troops arrived in Texas to take control of the state and proclaim freedom to all those enslaved in the state.

The significance of this date is that President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863–two-and-a-half years before enslaved people in Texas received the news that they were free.

The History and Creation of Juneteenth

At the heart of this holiday lies the understanding that Texas withheld freedom from enslaved people in the state. An article by UNC-Chapel Hill captures the importance of recognizing Juneteenth’s implications: “The history of Black experiences in the U.S. is “justice delayed” and, all too often, “justice denied.”

According to Britannica, in 1863, President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation during the American Civil War, declaring freedom to more than three million enslaved people living in the Confederate states. However, more than two years passed before this news reached enslaved African-Americans living in Texas. It wasn’t until June 19, 1865, that Union soldiers arrived in Texas, announced that slavery was abolished, and proclaimed the enslaved people free. The now-former enslaved people instantly celebrated their freedom with feasts, prayer, song, and dance.

“The original observances included prayer meetings and the singing of spirituals, and celebrants wore new clothes to represent their newfound freedom” (Britannica).

Juneteenth celebrations quickly grew in popularity as African-Americans in other states celebrated this special day, turning it into an annual tradition. Although Juneteenth is considered the second Independence Day for the U.S., most African-American communities celebrate it. It’s now the 21st century, and these celebrations have continued and expanded across the U.S. in various ways over the years.

Despite dating back to the 1800s and considered the longest-running African-American holiday (History.com), Juneteenth only became an official federally recognized holiday in the United States on June 17, 2021. This holiday honors the official end of slavery with events, parades, and live festivals all over the country celebrating its significance. 

Celebrating Juneteenth 

There are many fun ways to celebrate the Juneteenth holiday in your local area and show your love, support, and, most importantly, the joy of freedom.

• Events: Live music festivals, activities at local libraries, and open mic poetry are some creative ways to celebrate Juneteenth this year. The 19th falls on a Sunday this year, with events happening all weekend and on Monday, June 20th.

• Social Media: If you want to honor Juneteenth on social media, use the colors red, black, and green if you’re creating graphics. You can also use that opportunity to educate your community and even yourself. Understanding the related history is always an essential piece of celebrating any holiday. Make sure to use the hashtag #Juneteenth on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram to interact and gain recognition!

• Support Black Owned Businesses/Creators: You can also use this day as an opportunity to spotlight Black voices, community-led organizations, causes to donate to, and Black-owned businesses. Some Black-owned brands are hosting sales and discounts in honor of the holiday, which would be a great chance to purchase something and show your support. Here’s a list of 70+ Black-owned businesses from Good House Keeping to support, including beauty, cooking, vegan products, clothing, accessories, and much more.

• Read books by Black Authors: If you love to read, pick up a book written by a Black author. Books that are specifically about Juneteenth are even more impactful and informative. Reading about equality, Black history, and our freedom is perhaps more critical now than ever as some states try to hinder the education of our country’s dark history. Please enjoy the fiction and nonfiction books by Black authors! Check out this Juneteenth Reading List by Penguin Random House.

Supporting Local Black Community Organizations, Businesses, and Creators

(Borrowed from Las Vegas Animal Save’s Instagram post).

If you’re a Las Vegas local or visit Vegas anytime soon, we encourage supporting Black community organizations, businesses, and creators not just on Juneteenth but beyond:

▪️ @social.illz
▪️ @morethana.hashtag
▪️ @massliberation
▪️ @theobodocollective
▪️ @bodybutterbybrianna
▪️ @tofutees
▪️ @tas_caribbean_spice
▪️ @gardenbiteslv
▪️ @vegankeda_veggieeats
▪️ @souleyvegan
▪️ @prone_to_plants
▪️ @potslasvegas
▪️ @petersonspantry
▪️ @cannacake_the_babe
▪️ @vintagevegandiner
▪️ @down2earthplantbasedcuisine
▪️ @the_intuitive_groomer / @valerie.worthen

Juneteenth: The Joy of Freedom 

From 1863 up until now, we’ve come a long way to be free. This holiday means more to us than just freedom. It includes the happiness, joy, and strength that we’ve overcome and our resilience. Being here and alive to see that Juneteenth has now been made and preserved as a national holiday is very cool. With this accomplishment, I believe the years ahead will be even better and more important for the African-American community. Use the suggestions above to show your love and support today and every day!