Happy Juneteenth!

History

Juneteenth (June 19th), also known as Freedom Day or Jubilee Day, marks the day when people who were enslaved in Texas learned that they were free. This was two years after Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation. Juneteenth has come to symbolize a day of recognition, restoration, and celebration in the black community. It’s celebrated through festivities such as barbeques/cookouts, concerts, parades, street fairs, presentations about Black heritage, and more. There is also representation of art, music, and red food and drinks that symbolize strength, courage, and resilience.

Honoring

Young adults in the Project LIFE program created an amazing video to honor Juneteenth. The youth outline the history of Juneteenth and also share original work to commemorate the occasion.

Celebrating

Project LIFE hosted a movie night and discussion for Juneteenth. Youth and staff met online to watch the movie and talk about. If you missed it, you can look for the movie “Two Distant Strangers” on Netflix.

Missed this screening and still looking for something to do to celebrate? Check out this list of events happening all around VA. Reach out and share a photo or tell us what you did to celebrate this year!