Here are all the ways you can celebrate Juneteenth
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Juneteenth is quickly approaching, and with it, many ways to spend the day, particularly If you have it off—from immersing yourself in history to shopping a Black-owned business. Ahead of Juneteenth, we’re here to give you a primer on the holiday as well as give ways you can meaningfully spend it.
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When is Juneteenth?
Juneteenth is annually observed on June 19, which falls on a Monday this year.
What does Juneteenth celebrate?
Juneteenth, also called Freedom Day and Black Independence Day, is a day that celebrates African Americans being freed from bondage after the American Civil War. While President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation declared all slaves in the Confederate States to be free, this could not be implemented until the Confederacy was defeated. The last of the former Confederacy’s slaves had their freedom confirmed on June 19, 1865, when Union soldiers marched into Galveston Bay, Texas, and announced that by executive decree, the slaves were free. It should be noted that slavery was still legal in the Union states until the 13th Amendment was ratified on December 6, 1965.
Connected to the significance of June 19, 1865, Juneteenth is a day to celebrate the resilience of the Black citizens of America and honor their continued perseverance in the face of adversity.
Is Juneteenth a federal holiday?
Yes, on June 17, 2021, President Joe Biden signed a bill establishing the bill as a federal holiday. This makes it the 11th federal holiday and the first since Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday was established as a holiday on November 2, 1983.
Ways to celebrate Juneteenth
Learn about the day’s history
Go to a museum
We understand if you were dazzled by our explanation, but it’s only a primer on Juneteenth and the history of Blackness in America. If you’d like to learn about Juneteenth as well as other vital aspects of Black history, you can find a local Black history museum near you. There may be one closer than you think.
Read a book
If you prefer to immerse yourself in the values and history of Juneteenth through books, there are a wealth of both fiction and non-fiction options. So much so, in fact, we’ve curated our own Juneteenth reading list consisting of must-reads like "On Juneteenth" by Annette Gordon-Reed.
There are many ways to read your Juneteenth books. E-readers offer a convenient way to read countless books wherever you go. Plus, digital books are less expensive than their physical brethren. The best e-reader you can buy is the Amazon Kindle thanks to its crisp display, its responsiveness and its compactness.
Those who like listening to their books more than reading them can sign up for Audible, a service we’ve tried and loved thanks to its ease-of-use and affordability.
Stream a documentary
For those who’d like to learn about Juneteenth via film rather than books, many educational television shows and movies can be watched from the comfort of your home thanks to streaming services. For a convenient way to browse all streaming apps to find the perfect movie or show, we recommend using our favorite streaming device, the Roku Ultra. This nifty device gives you a luxurious viewing experience with a voice-controlled remote, 4K capability and speedy internet connection.
Buy Black-owned products
Another way to get into the spirit of Juneteenth is by buying from Black-owned businesses.
Orijin Bees brings diversity to the baby doll space, with dolls that come in various shades of black and brown skin as well as curly hair. These dolls are a great way to give children dolls that look like them, which Orijin Bees says fosters a sense of self-love.
Terminal B is a candle brand created by husband-and-wife team Chris & Fay Breedlove. Once the 2020 lockdown began, the two wanted a way to experience their love for travel once more, and thus Terminal B was born. You can enjoy the scent of cities such as Tokyo, Cape Town, and Los Angeles from your home with Terminal B candles scented after various cities around the world.
Riot Swim provides swimwear that aims to be both sexy and flattering, with fits that accommodate every body shape. The company states that confidence and coverage need not be mutually exclusive. with
Eat from Black-owned shops
If you’re like us and love to celebrate holidays eating delicious food, then you’re in luck because there’s tons of Black-owned eateries you can shop using Goldbelly. One of the reasons we love Goldbelly is because it allows you to have a taste of cities all over the country.
For example, you can try Sky's Gourmet Tacos, which is based out of Los Angeles. Described as “tacos with a splash of soul,” this fusion taco restaurant has been capturing the hearts (and stomachs) of L.A. residents since 1992 and now you can have a bite, too.
Many enjoy barbecuing for Juneteenth, and Smoke’N Ash BBQ is the perfect place to shop if you’d like to cook something a bit different on the grill. This Arlington-based shop mixes traditional Ethiopian dishes and flavors with Texan barbecue, making for a unique flavor you’re sure not to taste anywhere else.
If you’d like to satiate your sweet tooth this Juneteenth, we recommend checking out Detroit’s Good Cakes & Bakes, which sells a mouth-watering array of cakes to sink your teeth into.
Shop Sky’s Gourmet Tacos on Goldbelly
Shop Smoke’N Ash BBQ on Goldbelly
Shop Good Cakes & Bakes on Goldbelly
Display Juneteenth decorations
Another way to show your Juneteenth spirit is to decorate the interior and exterior of your home with iconography and colors invocative of Juneteenth. This can include flags and banners displaying the Juneteenth colors of red, green, black and yellow.
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This article originally appeared on Reviewed: Ways to Celebrate Juneteenth 2023
