Juneteenth commemorates the day slaves in Texas learned they were free — June 19th 1865, two years after Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation and two months after the Civil War ended. Now it seems like Black and allied voices who’ve been working to get Juneteenth recognized as a national holiday are finally being heard. Forty-seven states and the District of Columbia recognize Juneteenth as a holiday, and companies including Nickelodeon, Amazon, Google, Nike and Target have all decided this year to observe it.
So, how do you observe Juneteenth? Celebrations vary across the nation, with Texas, of course, having some of the most grand, but there’s one overall way for everyone to celebrate: rejoice in Black culture with loved ones.
Here are just a few of the many ways to celebrate Freedom Day:
- REFLECT on your successes! Juneteenth honors Black freedom, education and achievement.
- PLAN to make big changes for the better! Juneteenth is traditionally a time for self improvement & goal setting.
- REJOICE! Spend time with family, eat good food, and have lots of laughter.
- INDULGE yourself by watching Nickelodeon shows starring Black actors - many of which are available on NickHits on Amazon Prime. Titles include '90s classics My Brother and Me, a wholesome yet funny show about a Black middle class family living in Charlotte, N.C., Gullah Gullah Island, a sing-along show about a Gullah family living on the South Carolina Sea Islands with their huge frog friend, Binyah Binyah, and Kenan & Kel, the sitcom starring Kel Mitchell and SNL's Kenan Thompson.
Originally published: Friday, June 19, 2020.
Additional source: Today.
