Celebrate Safely
HAPPY BIRTHDAY JUNETEENTH.com! Here's to 30 MORE YEARS!!! (Your support is important and will help this site grow and continue sharing the powerful story of Juneteenth.)
Juneteenth, a historic celebration commemorating the ending of the legalized institution of chattel slavery in America, is an important milestone in the story of America. On June 19, 1865, Union Major General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas to announce General Order No. 3, declaring that “all enslaved people in Texas were free”, – more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation had officially ended slavery in Confederate states. This day, now known as Juneteenth, has become a profound commemoration of freedom, resilience, and achievement.
Today, Juneteenth (June 19th) is recognized as a federal holiday, a landmark accomplishment that came in 2021 after decades of advocacy and national reflection on racial justice. This designation offers Americans of all backgrounds the opportunity to pause, reflect, and celebrate together the progress toward unity. Liberty and Justice are shared American values, as is the victory of emancipation.
Across the country, and beyond, the month of June is host to a vibrant mix of events: parades, festivals, musical performances, family-friendly activities, and religious and educational programs. These activities are designed to bring people together, foster understanding, and honor the rich cultural heritage and achievements of Black Americans.
As we celebrate the day, it is important to remember that Juneteenth is both a commemoration and a call to action. Oppression in its various forms continues, and its resistance must come from each of us.
Juneteenth is not just a day on the calendar; it is a living testament to the strength and perseverance of those who fought and continue to fight for Liberty and Justice.
On this 161st celebration, we are all invited to unite as Americans to reflect on our shared history, celebrate progress, and recommit to the unfinished work of building a more just society.
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Let's make Juneteenth a commemorative, not of the horrific institution our country embraced, but rather as a showcase of the strength in the American spirit to recognize wrong and set about making it right. In this same spirit America moves ahead today in leveling playing fields and achieving ever greater equality. Let us celebrate all that Juneteenth teaches us about our country's greatness in our use of the heart to hear and to learn and to work together for all that is good and just.
In June of 2008, my grandmother was laid to rest. As our funeral procession passed near Wichita State University in Wichita, KS, a parade was taking place. The parade stopped to let us pass, and the men and women on horseback removed their cowboy hats and placed them over their hearts. It was the first time that day we laughed - Grams would have loved that she stopped a parade. What those men and women did not know is my Grams was a First Lieutenant in the Army - she served during WWII as a psychiatric nurse. She lived an amazing life after that, with God at the helm. I learned today that the parade that day by WSU was the Juneteenth Parade. That the men and women so selflessly stopped to allow our funeral procession to move past has remained in our family's hearts and minds all these years. We cannot thank you enough for your kindness. You are forever a part of our family's history.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!
Happy 30th Birthday
JUNETEENTH.com
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Three decades ago—before Google was either a noun or a verb—this platform was launched with a single, driving purpose: an unwavering commitment to the importance of the Juneteenth celebration. Sustaining this digital monument for 30 continuous years has been an extraordinary journey. A website domain, countless technological eras, and two wonderful daughters later, the mission to uplift and preserve our history remains as vital today as it was in 1996 - maybe even more so.
Social What?
Yes, before Facebook, MySpace, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube and all of the other Social Media platforms were born, JUNETEENTH.com was stirring up dust, reaching out to Juneteenth celebrants all across the U.S. (and beyond. Hence the name, Juneteenth World Wide Celebration) and who's knowledge of the celebration far exceeded mine - as I was just learning the history. We had a grand old time exchanging ideas and best practices on how to organize, permit events and improve local Juneteenth activities - and just as important, it was a place to post celebration notices (yes, long before e-mail blasts). I learned a lot about this history, and a lot about a new craft, Web Development. As the word spread and the celebrations grew, keeping up with the postings was sometimes brutal - but it was the kind of pain that was good. It meant more people, communities, towns, cities and states were starting their own Juneteenth celebrations - this wonderful piece of history and tradition was becoming more known.JUNETEENTH.com has always been about resillence, perseverance and paying homage to the shoulders we stand on (hence, the wonderful artistry of Tom Feelings). And we all, have or will, black, white, and everything inbetween, stand on the shoulders of someone in achieving our goals and dreams. And we are thankful.
So let this be for you, as it is for me, a special Juneteenth.
Here's to 30 more!
-Cliff