June Heritage & Cultural Highlight: Juneteenth

About  

Equitable Well-Being proudly recognizes and celebrates Juneteenth. “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.” - Angela Davis 

Juneteenth originated in Galveston, Texas, June 19, 1865, when the last group of slaves in the United States learned about the Emancipation Proclamation and that they had been legally freed. The celebration was typically centered around food and the unification of the Black culture. Juneteenth has been recognized nationally in some way every year since 1979 and was federally signed into law as Juneteenth National Independence Day in 2021 by President Joe Biden. 

Juneteenth is both a Black and American celebration to observe and honor Black ancestors and their contributions to this country, as well as the need to continue the fight for all people to be free. Historian Mitch Kachun considers that celebrations of the end of slavery have three goals: "to celebrate, to educate, and to agitate". 

Recommended Equitable Well-Being (EWB) Activities  

Juneteenth Celebration: June 5, 11:00am-1:00pm Durham County Courthouse.

Join us for a ceremony where we will celebrate and honor the day that the last slaves in the United States learned that they had been emancipated and were legally free! 

Connecting  

The National Museum of African American History & Culture has an entire online, digitally accessible museum platform that allows you to explore the history and culture of Juneteenth from your home or office. Locally, visit Historic Stagville which includes remnants of one of the largest plantations in North Carolina. This month particularly they will be hosting a Juneteenth event. 

Learning  

Juneteenth is just one small part of the centuries-long history of enslavement of Black people in the United States, but it is a critical piece of history to know and learn about. Check out these fabulous, multi-media Library of Congress resources, or this History Channel video as starting point to learn more about Juneteenth.  

 

Doing  

Wondering about ways to actively engage in dialogues and events? Here are a couple of upcoming opportunities that will allow you to dive deeper and contribute to understanding Juneteenth within and throughout the County of Durham and beyond.

Local Events 

National Events 

Conversation Starters  

Here are some questions to start conversations with others about Juneteenth. For leaders, try building in time in supervision or team meetings to prompt staff conversations about Juneteenth. Options could include:  

  1. Did you learn anything new about Juneteenth?   

  2. What influential figure or event from learning about Juneteenth has left a lasting impact on you personally?

  3. Did you learn anything new during Juneteenth that has inspired or impacted your perspective? 

  4. How did you participate in Juneteenth?