Celebrate and recognize the history of Juneteenth

The impact of recognizing Juneteenth as the federal holiday with the passing of the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act cannot be understated. Yet many people don’t know the meaning and significance of Juneteenth.

While it took two and a half years for word of the Emancipation Proclamation to reach Texas, it has taken 156 years for Juneteenth to be recognized as historically significant.

We celebrate Juneteenth and all it means with the knowledge and reality that we have much more work to do. We must seek to know the history and the barriers and structures of racism that carry forward in order to learn from our mistakes as a country and as individuals to do better in the future. This is a day to reflect and to deeply consider the wound of racism.

To learn more:

NAACP President & CEO Derrick Johnson discussing Juneteenth as a holiday of action

Stream The Soul of a Nation, a series with a unique window into the realities of black life.

BET Celebrates Juneteenth and the Resilience of the African American Spirit With a Curated Compilation of Uplifting Long and Short-form Content Under Its ‘Content for Change’ Initiative

Join a local Juneteenth event:

Juneteenth, June 19, 12 – 5 pm CT in Lincoln hosted by the Clyde Malone Center, 2100 U Street

Community leaders, artists, business owners, and storytellers will give presentations about the history of the national holiday that commemorates the announcement of the abolition of slavery in the United States. Guest speakers include Councilwoman Sändra Washington, Chassidy Jackson-Goodwin, Senior Civil Rights Investigator for the Lincoln Commission on Human Rights, and Genelle Moore, Lincoln’s first Black female police officer and former Lincoln Police Department Captain. The event is free and open to the public.

Omaha Freedom Festival, June 19, 12 – 12 AM CT, held at the Malcolm X Memorial Foundation, 3448 Evans

The festival will provide cultural and historical celebration in addition to education, entertainment, and access to resources. General admission is free but tickets are required and can be reserved on the website.

More ways to be supportive:

Advocate to protect voting rights
Shop Black-owned businesses
Donate to organizations that support Black communities