Juneteenth commemorates the ending of slaveholding in the United States, the oldest nationally celebrated holiday of its kind. This year, whether we observe it virtually or decide to safely attend a rally, every single person who considers themselves an ally or an anti-racist should make space on June 19th to join the Black community to honor the countless souls that perished prior to the abolition of slavery, the lives lost along the way in our nation’s fight for racial equality, and rally together to envision an America that truly shines as a beacon of justice.
Thousands of people will join seminars or rise up to defend Black lives on Friday, making it one of the biggest Juneteenth celebrations yet. To help you find a celebratory soiree near you or at your fingertips, we’ve put together a list of 10 events to demonstrate our united commitment to fight against systemic racism, police brutality, and racial profiling.
Voices4Change Juneteenth Event
When: Friday, June 19th, 7pm EDT
Where: Virtual Event
New York City mayoral candidate Dianne Morales, who was the first to echo the public’s call to defund the police — as the city’s only Afro-Latina candidate, she gets it — is hosting Voices4Change, an event that will feature musical performances to raise funds for her progressive campaign. “I’m honored to be joined by a roster of extraordinarily talented performers, including multi-Tony Award winner Audra McDonald, who will raise their voices in support of my candidacy, and a call for collective transformation that moves us toward creating an inclusive New York that lives up to the rhetoric of being the greatest city in the world,” Morales said in a statement to BELatina News.
“Voices4Change is a celebration of the legacy of Juneteenth, recognizing the transformation and challenges of the past while focusing on the road forward with hope and possibility. It is a clarion call for a new ‘social contract’ that dismantles historic inequities and establishes a new paradigm for justice,” she added.
“Power Hour” with Hip-Hop Artist Niko Brim and 93-Year Old Social Impact Leader Opal Lee
When: Friday, June 19th, 6:19 p.m. EDT
Where: Instagram
During the Instagram Live event, Opal Lee will read the book she authored, “Juneteenth: A Children’s Story,” exclusively on Brim’s Instagram account during the first of seven “Power Hour” show nights. Later, Brim, the host, will chat with influential guests who convey “Black Power” every night for a week from June 19 to June 26. The conversation will cover the current events and the “Twelve Freedoms” gained by emancipated slaves on June 19, 1865, when Union General Gordon Granger led federal US Colored Troops to Galveston, Texas, where he issued General Order No. 3 declaring that the Civil War had ended and all slaves were free.
Women’s March / Six Nineteen Juneteenth Rally
When: The weekend of June 19 to 21
Where: Find here a nearby action or host your own.
The State of Black Utah Town Hall
When: Friday, June 19, from 6:30 to 8pm MDT.
Where: Zoom and Facebook
This event is a conversation about “Mind, Body & Spirit: Black Mental Health In the Midst of Crisis.” Jazzalyn Livingston, the NAACP’s national program manager for its youth and college division, among other emerging leaders, will share how they are dealing with racism and injustices and how the future looks for them.
Juneteenth Gospel Sunday & Father’s Day Tribute
When: Sunday, June 21, from 2 to 6pm MDT
Where: Online
OneRace Movement March in Atlanta
When: Friday, June 19, at 9 am EDT
Where: Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta, Georgia
Verzuz.tv Alisha Keys v. John Legend Piano Duel
When: Friday, June 19, at 8pm EDT
Where: Online
The two accomplished performers will be facing off with their piano skills as a special edition of Verzuz.tv’s musician versus musician series, featuring acoustic renditions of some of their greatest hits.
Unexpected Atlanta Juneteenth Virtual BBQ
When: Friday, June 19 and Saturday, June 20, begins at 7:30pm EDT and 7pm EDT
Where: LIVE Juneteenth Virtual Tour.
The event will share the history of Juneteenth, Emancipation Day, and stories of what Atlanta and other important African American communities were like post-Emancipation, plus why barbecue is and always has been a celebration food. Tours are appropriate for children ages 10+.
Juneteenth Virtual Celebration with Maryland’s Sandy Spring Slave Museum
When: Thursday, June 18, begins at 7pm EDT
Where: From the comfort of your home
Juneteenth Jubilee in NYC
When: Friday, June 19 and Saturday 20, 2020 at 3 p.m. EDT
Where: NYC. Starting at 110 Street & Malcolm X Boulevard on Friday and Foley Square on Saturday
Organized by The Blacksmiths, a new national coalition of artists, curators, producers, and organizers that forges culture for Black liberation, the Juneteenth Jubilee will call for making Juneteenth a national holiday. The Intersectional Voices Collective and the Wide Awakes also will participate in the movement to celebrate and lift up and center Black Queer and Trans folks. The two-day event will have a musical march in support of the Movement For Black Lives’ CELEBRATION OF BLACK LIFE. The Black-led event will celebrate, mourn, and honor Black lives lost to police violence and COVID-19.
