Is Your Company Observing Juneteenth? Here’s How We’re Celebrating and Honoring the Day

Juneteenth marks the day in 1865 when Union troops carried out federal orders in Galveston, Texas ensuring that the last remaining enslaved persons in the Confederacy were free.

In recognition of the holiday, we have curated an array of relevant resources, readings, and films that offer important context about race in America, the history of the Civil Rights Movement and the evolution of racism as a persistent and systemic part of American history.

We hope this information is helpful as you plan your Juneteenth commemoration this year.

– The VOX Global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Practice Group

Read

The 1619 Project, The New York Times (Nikole Hannah-Jones)
The Case for Reparations, The Atlantic (Ta-Nehisi Coates)
A Report from Occupied Territory, The Nation (James Baldwin)
Letter from a Birmingham Jail (Martin Luther King, Jr.)

For more books and other recommended reading, see this reading list on race for allies that want to do better from WBUR.

Watch

Harriet (Amazon Prime)
13th (YouTube, Netflix)
Just Mercy (Amazon Prime)
Explained – The Racial Wealth Gap (YouTube, Netflix)
The Untold Story of Emmet Till (Amazon Prime)
I Am Not Your Negro (Amazon Prime)
Do the Right Thing (Amazon Prime)

For more options, see this selection of movies curated by Vox.com, including The Hate You Give, which may be particularly relevant for those with children.

Experience (Virtually or in Person)

National Museum of African American History and Culture, Washington, DC
National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, Cincinnati, OH
National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel, Memphis, TN
Juneteenth: A Brief, but Thorough History at the Dallas Public Library, Dallas, TX
Underground Railroad Trail & Hikes, Maryland

Events

Juneteenth ‘20: Virtual Pop Up Film Event (Virtual): A free virtual screening of short films curated by the Denton Black Film Festivals and talks with the filmmakers about their films and upcoming projects. Event will be held at 8 p.m. ET, Thursday, June 18. Tickets available via Eventbrite.
Juneteenth the Play (Virtual): Juneteenth stage play is a story of how love, faith, and prayer between a Texas slave-women name Tippy and a Texas slave man named Henry sustained them through slavery, even for the additional two and a half years that Texas kept their slaves. Event begins at 8:30 p.m. ET, Saturday, June 20.
Juneteenth Peace Walk (Indianapolis): A community peace walk from from Mass Ave. to Kennedy-King Park. Assembly begins at 12 p.m. ET, Friday June 19, and the walk will begin at 1 p.m.
Freedom Day Freedom Ride (Dallas): A community bike ride celebrating Juneteenth and Black lives. Ride will begin at 6 p.m. CT, Friday, June 19 at 4466 S. Marsalis Ave.