Holidays

Have a Proud and Happy Juneteenth!

“Juneteenth today, celebrates African American freedom and achievement, while encouraging continuous self-development and respect for all

cultures.” –History of Juneteenth, Juneteenth.com

On June 19, 2022, America will celebrate its second year with Juneteenth as an official National Federal Holiday. Juneteenth marks a significant moment in American history as it commemorates June 19, 1865 when Major General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas to read the federal order abolishing the institution of slavery in Texas, the last of the Confederate states in which enslavement continued. Since then, Americans have observed and celebrated Juneteenth as Emancipation Day, a day of freedom. In 1980, Texas marked the day as an official state holiday, the first state to do so, and in June 2021 President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act officially naming Juneteenth as an official national federal holiday.

How can I celebrate Juneteenth in 2022?

Juneteenth is actually the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States, and according to the Juneteenth website there are several traditional ways to celebrate Juneteenth, such rodeos, fishing, barbecuing, and baseball. Others include prayer services, speaker series, reading of the Emancipation Proclamation, and dances. However, as the holiday moves to official national status, new ways have emerged to further engage with the meaning of the holiday. These are as follows and recommended:

Purchase food or products from Black-owned establishments.

Resources for discovering Black-owned businesses are the platforms We Buy Black and Official Black Wall Street. Etsy is highlighting Black-owned vendors on its website and customers can use the app EatOkra, founded by Black developers and programmers, to search a list of Black-owned restaurants in many cities. Use the app Eboneats to help you find local restaurants. You can even search DoorDash for Blackowned restaurants.

Show support for the Black Lives Matter Movement.

According to CNET.com, here are eight ways to get involved and support the Black Lives Matter movement. These include making a weekly to monthly donation to an organization, taking political action such as sending texts, and signing online petitions to continued selfeducation or attending local and virtual events.

Attend Juneteenth events in person or virtually.

Some local events include Music City Freedom Festival: Nashville’s Juneteenth Celebration, Juneteenth615 Celebration at Fort Negley Park, Juneteenth Block Party, and Clarksville’s 2nd Annual Juneteenth Festival. Find a list of Tennessee Juneteenth events at EventBrite.

Gather your family together for a time of education and reflection.

Juneteenth provides a time to reflect on critical issues that perpetuate discrimination. Engage in movies,