Why Every HBCU Should Celebrate Juneteenth

Why Every HBCU Should Celebrate Juneteenth

Why did a 90-year old retired school counselor decide to walk from Texas to the U.S. Capitol? She wanted to bring attention to Juneteenth. What is Juneteenth?

In the United States, people exploited African slave labor to build plantations, harvest crops, and perform all types of duties. Slaves endured abuse and were treated inhumanely in many cases. On January 1, 1863, the Emancipation Proclamation stated: “ I do order and declare that all persons held as slaves… henceforward shall be free; and that the Executive government of the United States, including the military and naval authorities thereof, will recognize and maintain the freedom of said persons.”

On June 19, 1865, soldiers arrived in Texas to squash confederate opposition to abolition. Wait, did you notice the difference in dates? The proclamation legally freed the slaves freed in 1863. Texan slaves, however, spent two and a half more years of their lives subject to forced labor because their owners didn’t comply with the Emancipation Proclamation. No wonder these freed slaves, as their first acts of liberty, publicly celebrated this momentous event! June 19th came to be called Juneteenth, and people have been celebrating on this date ever since!

Celebrations at HBCUs

It only makes sense that HBCUs are at the forefront of Juneteenth celebrations. After all, the event is an integral part of American history. How do universities participate?

Parades

Parades may include bands, dancers, and decorated vehicles who entertain and educate the crowds lining the streets. The 2018 Juneteenth parade at Morris Brown College, a HBCU in Atlanta, Georgia included acknowledgements of other important events in Black history. For example, one float honored Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., a civil rights activist who was assassinated over 50 years ago. PWIs (Predominantly White Institutions) often recognize the significance of Juneteeth too. Check out the parade that Creighton University, a Jesuit institution in Omaha, Nebraska, planned and organized!

Pageants

Many fraternities and sororities commemorate the cause with pageants. How creative! Learn how you can join the Rho Omicron Omega sorority of Baytown, Texas for their Juneteenth Pageant this year!

Picnics and Prayers

Remember the nonagenarian school counselor who walked to bring attention to this holiday? Her name is Opal Lee She began observing Juneteenth over 40 years ago by organizing a community picnic in a park. Besides feasting on delicious food and playing outdoor games, the event eventually expanded to include a prayer breakfast, an honors banquet, a 5K run, an art exhibit, a golf tournament, and even a gospel music festival.

Flag-Raising Ceremonies and Decorations

The official Juneteenth flag is half blue, half red with a white 5-pointed star surrounded by the outline of a 12-pointed star in the middle. In 1997, Ben Haith, a director of a national Juneteenth celebration foundation, created the flag. Later, in 2000 and 2007, it was revised to its current form. Some institutions raise the flag on June 19th or feature it in its decorations.

“We don't have to look far to see that racism and bigotry, hate and intolerance, are still all too alive in our world.  Just as the slaves of Galveston knew that emancipation is only the first step toward true freedom, just as those who crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge 50 years ago knew their march was far from finished, our work remains undone…” President Barack Obama said in a statement recognizing the holiday a couple of years ago.  “Instead, it's a celebration of progress.  It's an affirmation that despite the most painful parts of our history, things do get better.  America can change.” About 42 states have an official observance of Juneteenth.

How does your HBCU observe Juneteenth? If there isn’t an existing program, it’s long overdue. You can kick things off at your university by decorating your car or dorm room. Or, you can introduce one of the traditions of the date, such as drinking Big Red soda, to your friends. Whatever you do, don’t forget this pivotal date in history!

Image Credit: tomjoynerfoundation.org