A New Juneteenth
This day has gained major recognition over the past few months as it has renewed interest within the black community of millennials in the latest number of deaths including George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and many more past and present.
For those who are unaware, Juneteenth is June 19, 1865. On this day African-Americans in Galveston, TX were freed. A holiday that commemorates the end of slavery that has been celebrated since the late 1800s.
This day has gained major recognition over the past few months as it has renewed interest within the black community of millennials in the latest number of deaths including George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and many more past and present.
In America, the equivalent holiday is Fourth of July that commemorates the Declaration of Independence of the United States. This is a holiday that white Americans take pride in celebrating with barbeques every summer and dressing in red, white, and blue to honor the flag. It is a day that goes into the white American history books.
With the recent events of deaths of black people by white police, it’s different now. The death of George Floyd sparked a revolution. The black community has begun to forcibly take its power back. Protests and looting has erupted all over the country and some internationally. For the cause that this has highlighted, major celebrities and organizations have donated large funds to campaigns and non-profits that assist in the bailouts for those arrested in the Black Lives Matter movement protests.
Major retail brands have taken stance on raising standards of equality and respect for people of color in America. Brands like Band-aid are showing support changing their product to show equality with all races. With this, major entertainment corporations are being called out for the indecent treatment of black celebrities such as Gabrielle Union and the racial intolerance she experienced working with NBC.
The black community is on a path to clean up racism in America, taking down corporations that profit off of their culture. Calling out racial injustices one corporation at a time. This is forcing a long list of retailers to reevaluate their diversity. Many retail brands have reported the percentage of black employees within their companies with many having a low number.
Fast food industries are starting to feel the effects of their stances as well. Wendy’s losing black business once word got out that the CEO donated funds to President Trump’s campaign, then the burning of Wendy’s location after the murder of Rayshard Brooks.
Black Americans have reached their peak of intolerance and are now outraged. The celebration of Juneteenth is to highlight the fact that although black people were freed, it seems that all these years they’ve been mentally enslaved along with their dignity. We’ve reached a point to expose every injustice we go through, whether its a large corporation or a middle-aged white racist yielding their white privilege by falsifying attacks from black people.
The black community celebrates Juneteenth to honor the black lives lost and how far we’ve come in the fight to end racism. This is a day to go into the history books for our black children of the future to learn about.
Photo Credits:
https://im-media.voltron.voanews.com/Drupal/01live-166/styles/sourced/s3/2020-05/AP20150280747351.jpg?itok=iAbC1SFF
https://www.niemanlab.org/images/black-lives-matter-protest-cc.jpg
https://i.ytimg.com/vi/EFdbLfZBxes/maxresdefault.jpg
Report: Josephine Coiscou
Trump's Fumble On Juneteenth Leads To New Nationally Recognized Holiday
“Juneteenth isn’t just a celebration… especially in times like this, it is a reminder of how far we’ve come, but also how much work we have to do to become truly free.” - @juliaforboston (twitter)
Juneteenth represents when slavery was officially abolished in the United States. While the Emancipation Proclamation ordered to end slavery in 1863, it took two years before slaves in Texas were free on June 19, 1865. Across the country, Americans, specifically the black community, hold week-long celebrations to honor “freedom”. “Juneteenth isn’t just a celebration… especially in times like this, it is a reminder of how far we’ve come, but also how much work we have to do to become truly free", tweeted @juliaforboston.
Recently, United States President, Donald Trump decided that despite the pandemic he would hold a rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma on the weekend of Juneteenth. Why is this a problem? “Did they really not know what Juneteenth was? I don’t believe it. You couldn’t get all the way to scheduling a rally without someone pointing it out. No, this was deliberate signaling. What really surprised them was the backlash. They were trying to do a Reagan, signaling support for racists with a campaign event- but America has changed”, tweeted @paulkrugman.
Historically, Tulsa is known for having one of America’s worst race riots, known as the Tulsa Race Massacre. This particular race riot was an attack on Tulsa’s predominately black Greenwood neighborhood, killing hundreds of black people, leaving thousands of people homeless, and destroying black businesses. The Tulsa Massacre also destroyed Black Wall Street, which was the wealthiest black community in America in 1921.
Prior to Trump’s decision to hold his rally in Tulsa during Juneteenth weekend, Juneteenth was not common knowledge to most Americans. Although bringing light to Juneteenth probably was not Trump’s intention, his ignorance granted a lot of people a free history lesson.
Now that more people are aware of Juneteenth’s significance, cities and even some states are taking steps towards recognizing Juneteenth as a paid-holiday.
Photo Credits:
Tulsa Massacre photo- History.com
Woman with flag: Chicagotribune.com
Report: Brionna Thompson
At the rise of Covid-19 many of us first questioned the timeline of fashion week and would we see the regular calendar continue - the question weighed over many of us for months! It was refreshing to see design houses and designers across the globe take advantage of the uncertainty and plow into production mode - thus my interest in Jerri Reid New York - The Black Designer based in Brooklyn New York wow’d instagram with his latest collection paying homage to the Black Is King film which debuted earlier this year in July. I was taken aback at quick of a turn round the young designer produced and released his well crafted designs reflecting some of the films most memorable moments.