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Many things need to be said about this very special June 19th holiday and many more need to be heard. Such important history to learn and to cherish. I am grateful for the gift of Juneteenth - grateful to Black Americans, African Americans, who have held this holiday for so long and have generously shared it with all of us as a national celebration of the single greatest moment of progress in our nation's history. I think it's ok that lots of people are not sure exactly how to incorporate Juneteenth into their traditions, their lives, their tongues; and it’s certainly understandable if Black Americans find the widening of the circle strange or suspicious. I embrace the challenge of making it my own, our own, without appropriating it from those who have given it to our nation, whose freedom it fundamentally celebrates. I believe that our role together is the full redemption of the nation we know as the United States, which has debts still to pay, wrongs still to right, ongoing crimes and slanders alive and well, and a future that is looking down the barrel of a gun right now. Lets start from awareness that the debts are real, and the legal/policy life of America after emancipation was not freedom at all. Not at all. And also let’s aim for the possibility that the complexity of defining those debts and accounting for the damage done and being done still is something we can handle. Let's be brave. Let's prove worthy. Let’s choose to rise to this special occasion. #Juneteenth

June 19th, 1865 is the day enslaved Texans learned of their emancipation… two years after the Emancipation Proclamation. It’s important to understand that the work of achieving and communicating emancipation fell largely on enslaved people themselves. And it’s important for us to acknowledge and celebrate this day because it’s how we begin grow out of leaving the work and responsibility for restoring and/or acheiving the American principles of freedom and equality to marginalized and systematically disempowered groups and individuals. It’s a good day to remember that Black History is American History, and it’s all of our work. https://lnkd.in/g6C_he8t

https://lnkd.in/gDnunPs6 If your curious on how to be an active ally please take time to read this article. Happy Juneteenth! 10 Things We Want White People to Do to Celebrate Juneteenth 1. We want white people to deeply consider the wound of racism on the hearts of every Black American. 2. On Juneteenth we want white people to read, study Black history, Black poets, Black leaders, Black achievements. 3. We want white people to do things about racism as readily as they do things for their own children. 4. We want white people to make a list of resolutions, of promises, of vows about what will it take for them to use their power, their privilege, their platforms of power to give space to Black and Brown leaders. 5. We want them to find an accountability partner and make the list public of what actions they will take. They CAN do this on social media. A lot of those actions will be giving up privilege and making room for folks who they may not have noticed have no room at all. 6. We want white people to stop talking about how uncomfortable it is to talk about racism or police violence. 7. We want white people to stop being afraid of their own internalized white supremacy. We want them to search and look within at hard facts of thought and deed. Who cares about being comfortable? What about being true, brave and real instead? 8. Then we want white people to stop talking and listen to what needs to be done. 9. We want white people to plan on spending time in spaces with folks who are not like you. 10. We want white people to hold other white people accountable not on social media, instead with measured voices that call folks in to look and wrestle – to change. We are interested in courageous conversations, in hearing folks out and in allowing themselves to feel terrible and to let that feeling be a crucible for change.

This Juneteenth, let's embrace the deeper meaning behind the celebration, as highlighted in Charles Blow's insightful NYT article. Juneteenth is more than a historical milestone; it's an ongoing journey toward to realize freedom and equality for Black people. It’s a day to honor the past, recognize present struggles, and commit to a future of equity. For a profound perspective on the significance of Juneteenth, read Charles Blow's article linked below. https://lnkd.in/e6E4ss_a. #HappyJuneteenth #RoadToFreedom #EquityNow

Given our country’s long and difficult history with inclusiveness, Jean decided to sit down and write out her thoughts -- during this year’s Black History Month -- on how we got here (this week’s Part 1) and where we go from here (Parts 2 and 3 in the next blogs). She writes: I remember my shock in 2020 when repeated protests after George Floyd’s gruesome murder played to an international audience. What shocked -- and delighted me, as I wrote in a blog post -- was seeing how many White people turned out in support of racial and social justice. I had no idea that their concerns about racial divides had been simmering beneath the surface, waiting for ignition. Public outrage appeared the fuel that propelled the movement, from Emmett Till to the War on Poverty, brutal slayings of civil rights workers to George Floyd. Only now, the outrage appears on the side of those pushing for White supremacy. Across the country, state legislators have implemented a series of voter suppression laws, reflective of post-Reconstruction laws in the late 1870s. Claims of election fraud have gained currency, and there is widespread concern that democratic institutions themselves are under assault and susceptible to becoming vastly weakened by authoritarians. Gerrymandering has enabled politicians to guarantee their own elections, supported by Supreme Court rulings. The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) industry is under attack, with claims that efforts to diversify the workforce or educational institutions amount to "reverse racism" against the White dominant group. Companies and colleges are figuring out how to avoid lawsuits while still reaping the benefits of diversity and inclusion. What happens now? How long will it take, and why does it take so long? What is required of us who so fervently want to see the change?

Today we celebrate #Juneteenth. On June 19th, 1865, more than 250,000 enslaved Black people in Texas were informed, finally, that they were free by decree of the Emancipation Proclamation. The Emancipation Proclamation, which had been signed more than two years before that fateful day, freed enslaved people in confederate states. It would take another six months before the 13th Amendment to the Constitution was ratified making slavery illegal, except as punishment for a crime (the fine print) and freeing the remaining 100,000 enslaved people in states that never seceded from the union during the Civil War. The story of Juneteenth is a story of justice delayed. A story that Black people in this country know all too well. On this day, we remember those who continue to fight to make the full rights of citizenship a reality of all people. Juneteenth is a day to remember, grieve, reflect, and tell the truth of this country’s history and its legacy of enslavement. It’s a day to celebrate freedom and to acknowledge its unfulfilled promises. The work of repair is still very much in progress but Juneteenth reminds us of how far we’ve come.

The official Juneteenth flag is deliberately designed in a red, white and blue color scheme just like the American flag, and has a white star in the center, meant to represent both Texas (the Lone Star State), as well as the freedom of enslaved foundational Black Americans in other states. Juneteenth celebration began with the freed slaves of Galveston, Texas. And while the Emancipation Proclamation freed the slaves in the South in 1863, it could not be enforced in many places until after the end of the Civil War in 1865. After the emancipation proclamation was enforced in1865 there were black people in the United States still enslaved up until the 1960's. So technically Foundational Black Americans should have more than one freedom day celebration. It should actually be at least 4 freedom celebrations, Juneteenth, 4th Of July because former slaves in South Carolina, and another for the Foundational Black Americans who were enslaved up until the 1960's identified in the article. According to the article with stories from Southern states like Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Florida there should be more. Link to full articles below. Juneteenth became a federal holiday in June of 2021 and is celebrated nationwide with parades, concerts, parties and gatherings with family and friends. Today, let's celebrate Freedom Day for those who fought to be free here on June 19th 1865! #Reparations 💰#ReparationsNow 💰 #ReparationsIsADebtOwed 💰 #StopAntiBlackHate #StopAntiBlackRacism #antiblackhatecrimebillnow .

Today, FEEA joins the nation in celebrating Juneteenth, a critical day that marks the emancipation of enslaved African Americans in the United States. It's a powerful reminder of the fight for freedom and the ongoing pursuit of equality. Juneteenth marks a pivotal moment in American history, the day when the promise of freedom finally reached enslaved people in Texas, the furthest corner of the Confederacy. Though the Emancipation Proclamation was issued two and a half years prior, the news took time to travel, particularly in the face of a collapsing rebellion. This long-awaited liberation stands as a testament to the enduring spirit of those who fought for their own freedom, and a reminder of the ongoing journey towards true racial equality. "If the cruelties of slavery could not stop us, the opposition we now face will surely fail. Because the goal of America is freedom, abused and scorned tho’ we may be, our destiny is tied up with America’s destiny." - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Juneteenth serves not only as a celebration, but also as a call to action. We must continue to work towards creating a more just and equitable society for all. At FEEA, we're committed to fostering a culture of inclusion, where every voice is heard and respected. We stand in solidarity with our Black colleagues, feds, and community members in this pursuit. Want to learn more? Check out this article from the National Museum of African American History & Culture: https://s.si.edu/3NzT5LZ #Juneteenth #Equality #BlackHistoryMatters #TogetherWeRise

To quote my brilliant friend Ken Miles, “…this day serves as a reminder of the ways in which justice and convenience are at odds in this country and continue to be. In a time when headlines highlight how our country has often failed to fulfill its promises, and our approaches to ethics and accountability frequently take a backseat to profit-driven motives, let us remember that the past isn’t merely a historical textbook; it’s a living, dynamic force shaped by our present actions and choices. May we find ways to work together in service of the freedoms of others, and recognize the roles learning AND unlearning play in that possibility. And may we find ways for communities and institutions to play a greater shared role in taking those insights and amplifying them to the world.” May this Juneteenth be a day or learning, unlearning, remembering and envisioning.

Did you know the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture has two artifacts so large that the museum’s foundation had to be designed around their placement? Southern Railway Car No. 1200, a segregated passenger car from the Jim Crow era, and the bars and gate for the prison cell from cell no. 3 of Camp A at Angola prison in Louisiana. I became an Ambassador for the NMAAHC the moment I heard it was being conceived. I didn’t know how I’d be involved, but I wanted to put my resources where my heart was. In 2012, I signed on as an Ambassador, four years before the museum was completed and opened to the public. La Fleur Paysour, a dear friend and fellow alum from my alma mater, was the NMAAHC public affairs liaison and eventual Communications Director when she invited me for a visit. She handed me a hard hat, and we walked over to the site’s foundation being poured. We stared down into that pit to observe Southern Railway Car No. 1200 being permanently enshrined in the base of that museum’s foundation. It was a quiet moment; we didn’t say much. But we took it in, together. La Fleur would eventually travel across the globe to help tell the story of these varying artifacts, and the ways they connected to a shared history, awareness, and ultimately a reimagining of what folks thought they knew about Black history. So why am I sharing any of this? Today marks #Juneteenth, a day that commemorates the date when enslaved people of African descent in Galveston learned of their freedom in the United States. In many ways, this day serves as a reminder of the ways in which justice and convenience are at odds in this country and continue to be. In a time when headlines highlight how our country has often failed to fulfill its promises, and our approaches to ethics and accountability frequently take a backseat to profit-driven motives, let us remember that the past isn’t merely a historical textbook; it’s a living, dynamic force shaped by our present actions and choices. May we find ways to work together in service of the freedoms of others, and recognize the roles learning AND unlearning play in that possibility. And may we find ways for communities and institutions to play a greater shared role in taking those insights and amplifying them to the world.