Juneteenth was made the eleventh American federal holiday by President Joe Biden on June 17, 2021. As many of us will be off with our children for the day, here are a few ways to not only celebrate the importance of Juneteenth, but to also have some family fun while doing it.
Before we get to the fun, let’s take a minute to remember just why Juneteenth is so important and why we need to make it a celebration.
Juneteenth, also called Black Independence Day, Emancipation Day, Freedom Day, Cel-Liberation Day, and Jubilee Day, commemorates the day, June 19, 1865, when Black slaves were legally freed in the United States. Texas, in 1980, was the first state to officially celebrate Juneteenth, as on that day in 1865, the enslaved people of that state were finally declared free under the terms of the 1862 Emancipation Proclamation.
Now, let’s celebrate! Here are ways that you celebrate Juneteenth 2024 with your kids!
Have a streaming service marathon
YouTube is full of videos that no only entertain, but educate as well. Hop online and find a few videos to watch with your children that teach about the importance of Juneteenth. We have two suggestions below for both younger and older children.
In addition to YouTube, Netflix, is offering a plethora of programming suggestions for families to binge together that include: Black Barbie, Miss Juneteenth, 13th, 13th: A Conversation with Oprah Winfrey & Ava DuVernay, Amend: The Fight for America, among others.
So, pop some popcorn, gather more snacks, and start binging.
Go to the museum, virtually
The Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture does not disappoint in person or virtually. Turn on the computer and go to the museum! The online presentations are a must-see for all generations. You may want to bookmark the page because there is so much to see, hear, and read, you won’t be able to get to it all in one day!
Check out your local Juneteenth celebrations
Many cities will have local Juneteenth celebrations. From museum activities, to parades, to concerts, and beyond. There is probably something going on in your town that will be a fit for your family to celebrate and have fun.
Let’s cook
Have a cookout or special Juneteenth meal, utilizing foods that are red! The National Museum of African American History and Culture explains why.
“The color red is highly associated with the cultures that would’ve come through the later years of the TransAtlantic slave trade, which would have been Yoruba and Kongo. People from the Yoruba of Nigeria, Benin, and Togo; and the Kongo of Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of Congo and Gabon—placed great philosophical and spiritual value in the color red as it symbolizes sacrifice, transition and power.”
Read a book together
There are numerous books available for all ages that can expand your understanding of Juneteenth and Black History in general. Several bookstores have shared online lists and suggestions of resources focused on Black History and authored by Black writers.
Whatever you do this year, make sure to celebrate Juneteenth in a special way that creates a family habit and builds a special tradition for generations to come.
Photo: Canva.com
