The History of Juneteenth

As we prepare to celebrate and commemorate Juneteenth this year, it’s important to understand the history and significance of the holiday. Juneteenth didn’t become a federally recognized holiday until June 17, 2021, when President Biden signed a bill into a law, making Juneteenth the 11th holiday recognized by the federal government. This New York Times article has a rich history on Juneteenth and the events that led to it becoming a federal holiday just one year ago.

Support Black Owned Businesses

One of the most impactful things you can do, not just for Juneteenth, but all year long is seek out goods and services from Black owned or operated businesses, authors and charities that support the Black community. Not only will this help Black owned businesses grow, you’re supporting arts and creativity in the Black community and helping fuel growth. This article in Insider has many great resources to get involved and show your support, including US destinations to learn more about Black History.

Elizabeth Colomba’s “157 Years of Juneteenth” in The New Yorker

The New Yorker magazine’s June 20th cover is a watercolor painting by African American artist Elizabeth Colomba, who discusses the necessity of painting Black bodies into historically white spaces, especially giving visibility to Black women.

You can see more of her inspiring work in this feature in Art News, which detailed her recent art exhibit at Princeton University. Here’s an excerpt from the article: “In her works, she portrays Black historical characters in the affluent settings from which they were traditionally excluded or erased. Her goal is to paint Black people as they never have been depicted before in art history.”

Prepare food from a Cookbook by a Black Author

TFood is an important part of a Juneteenth celebration because signature recipes preserve and promote African American history. A great way to honor Juneteenth is to try a recipe or two from a cookbook written by a Black author. One of our favorites is Jubilee: Recipes from Two Centuries of African American Cooking by Toni Tipton-Martin. At ED we love Tipton-Martin's Gingerbread with Lemon Sauce.