Juneteenth: A Day to Celebrate Freedom

By Bridgette Perdue, ECS Middle School Music Teacher and BSU Advisor 

The History

Juneteenth is a holiday celebrated on June 19th that commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. While not yet a national holiday, it is officially recognized in 47 States, including Pennsylvania.  

Upon the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, few states were forced to uphold the law to grant enslaved African Americans their right to freedom. As a result, not all enslaved African Americans knew of the proclamation. On June 19, 1865, Union soldiers sailed into the port of Galveston, Texas with news that all enslaved African Americans were free despite the Emancipation Proclamation being signed by President Lincoln 2.5 years prior.

Today, Juneteenth is celebrated in several cities throughout the United States, including Pittsburgh, with festivals, music, and food found in African American culture. Several Congress officials are working to make it a national holiday, and schools and organizations, like ECS’s BSU, take part in Juneteenth activities.  

Juneteenth at ECS

Juneteenth was celebrated at ECS in 2018 by our brand-new Black Student Union. BSU was formed in February of that year, and it marked the first time our Black students had an intentional safe space created for them to fully express themselves and feel affirmed of their identity. Through the course of our weekly meetings, it became clear that the students wanted to do something that made their mark on the school and share something representative of their community. Juneteenth provided that opportunity.

We decided to celebrate Juneteenth on the first Friday in June. Our members went to all the middle school homebases and shared a presentation about the holiday. They also created a group spoken word piece and a step show, and performed these during lunches, wearing their BSU shirts. It was a meaningful moment for them. 

While we’re glad BSU took the lead in sharing with their school a piece of their history and culture, the truth of the matter is, Black students should not be the ones educating their peers about our country’s history. However, due to systemic racism, we all too often learn about American History through the lens of white people. Many of our BSU students hadn’t known about Juneteenth until it was brought up during our meetings, yet all our members knew about the 4th of July. Many of us - ourselves included - have referred to that day as the Day of Independence without reflecting on the fact that 20% of our country’s people were not free. 

At our meetings, we discussed this inaccurate portrayal of history. Our students, now undergirded by this information, were eager to share what they learned. They took pride in this new knowledge and wanted to share it with their peers and teachers. Black history is American history, and we all grow from learning about it. 

How to Celebrate Amid COVID-19

This year, the holiday cannot be in full swing due to COVID-19, but Juneteenth is still a celebration! It’s a party! Typically, there are weekend festivals in numerous cities across the country with parades, music, and food. Sometimes families cookout, relax and just spend time together - ya know, like any other holiday :). Of course, with social distancing, these celebrations are amended to practice safely.

On June 19, 2018, Antwon Rose, an unarmed Black teen, was killed by a white cop in East Pittsburgh. While this holiday is an opportunity for celebration, it is also a clear reminder that even centuries later Blacks are still not free in America. I encourage us all to take this day to learn more about American history from a Black perspective and to do our part in actively dismantling racism. 

Here are two specific ways to celebrate this year. On Friday morning (June 19, 2020), the Pittsburgh community will be joining together to honor the life of Antwon Rose. That evening, there is an online event where the theater group, Karamu, will be holding live artistic performances and conversations.

While Pittsburgh takes part in the celebration, this year’s Juneteenth festivities have been rescheduled to the weekend of Aug. 28 due to COVID-19. For more information and to stay up-to-date about Pittsburgh’s Juneteenth celebration, follow their Facebook page. 

People of all races can observe the holiday in some form. It is important we all honor what Juneteenth represents - the freedom of Blacks in America.