Part of the reason why Kathryn Benjamin Golden, assistant professor of Africana studies at the University of Delaware, is a historian is because she views history as a change-making tool.
Juneteenth, which commemorates the end of slavery in the United States, is an opportunity to reflect on the past, celebrate Black freedom, and look toward the future.
“If you cannot look back at history, you're unable to really understand what you don't want to repeat again,” Golden said. “[Juneteenth] can be used as a platform for critical conversations about race and the legacies of racial slavery, but also the legacies of Black people's tremendous resistance across time. It is about an ongoing struggle but also honoring that continued movement to create real justice and equality in this country.”
Juneteenth is a federal holiday in the United States that commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans. On June 19, 1865, Union Major General Gordon Granger told enslaved men, women and children in Galveston, Texas, that they were free and that the Civil War had ended.
The 158-year-old holiday is a reminder that the Emancipation Proclamation by President Abraham Lincoln on Jan. 1, 1863, did not liberate all enslaved Black people in the Confederate States and that Texas enslavers refused to adhere to life without slavery as mandated by the Union until federal troops arrived to enforce the Proclamation. (The Emancipation Proclamation’s purpose was to free enslaved people in the states that had seceded from the Union. A handful of Union states, including Delaware and Maryland, continued to allow enslavement through 1864 and 1865, until the 13th Amendment was ratified by enough states to abolish slavery across the nation. Delaware was the first state to ratify the Constitution, but it did not ratify the 13th Amendment until 1901.)
“When we look at and listen to Black people's histories and perspectives, we realize that no, independence doesn't come on July 4. It only comes for some. It doesn't come for all,” Golden said. “And so how can we really think about the true meaning of freedom? It means looking at the most oppressed and suppressed and marginalized of us and really listening to those historical and present voices and perspectives.”
The first planned Juneteenth celebration occurred in Galveston, Texas, in 1866. Through migratory waves in the late 19th century, the cultural celebration of freedom spread first throughout the South and then to the North. By the turn of the 20th century, Juneteenth celebrations occurred throughout the country. Over the years, celebrations have included family reunions, parades, picnics, religious observances, festivals and marches.
President Joe Biden signed into law on June 17, 2021, the “Juneteenth National Independence Day Act,” designating Juneteenth as a legal public holiday. Since then, the holiday’s reach has been expanded to encourage all Americans to celebrate Black freedom and educate themselves on the complex history of Black liberation and ongoing struggles for justice and equality.
UD is observing Juneteenth on Monday, June 19, with classes suspended and offices closed.
While Juneteenth has historically been celebrated by mostly Black communities, Golden said there is a level of responsibility for everyone to care about slavery and freedom — and to learn from it.
“Everybody should care about Black folks' histories, their plight — past and present — but also their contributions to the building of this country that we're sharing,” Golden said. “Juneteenth is an opportunity to think about all of this and to ask questions and have open, honest conversations. While Juneteenth allows us to do that — and asks that we do that — there are other opportunities beyond Juneteenth. It's not just a one-day thing.”
One of those opportunities is to take a course in Africana studies, Golden said, adding that the Department of Africana Studies website has more information about Africana course offerings. Other options include listening to a podcast, reading a book (Golden recommends On Juneteenth by Annette Gordon-Reed and The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander), posting and engaging on social media in respectful ways, writing private reflections, attending a celebration, and listening to the relevant perspectives of Black friends, co-workers and neighbors.
Juneteenth also offers an opportunity for Black people to speak about their personal experiences of inequality and tie those experiences to broader history — and for everyone to recognize the need for further work in those areas, Golden said.
“Do something — and that goes beyond Juneteenth,” Golden said. “Recognize that we can do something all the time, even as we take this day to really pour into these ideas and these reflections. You can do something like this all the time, whenever you see a need or an opportunity to advocate for equality and justice.”
Symbolism of the Juneteenth flag
The Juneteenth flag is a symbol for the Juneteenth holiday in the U.S. and was designed in 1997 by activist Ben Haith. The white star in the center of the flag represents Texas, the Lone Star State, where Juneteenth was first celebrated. The bursting outline around the star is inspired by a nova, a term used to describe the formation of a new star. On the Juneteenth flag, the burst represents a new beginning for African Americans throughout the country. The curve that extends across the width of the flag represents a new horizon. The red, white and blue colors are meant to convey the message that all enslaved people and their descendants are American.
Institutional Equity at UD
The Office of Institutional Equity at the University of Delaware provides year-round educational opportunities for the UD community to meet the evolving needs of faculty, staff and students. OIE’s social justice curriculum provides ongoing education at all levels of expertise and understanding in an effort to provide UD community members with the knowledge and tools to co-create a socially just and equitable campus community.
The Center for Black Culture (CBC) is a “Home Away from Home” for many Black students and also provides support to other underrepresented student populations. The Center’s mission is to create a supportive environment that encourages the full participation of students in all areas of the University, and to educate the larger community on the challenges, needs and interests of these students. The Center provides support to about 20 Registered Student Organizations annually and advises the Cultural Programming Advisory Board (CPAB) and Black Student Union (BSU).
For more information
The National Museum of African American History and Culture is the only national museum devoted exclusively to the documentation of African American life, history, and culture. The museum, located in Washington, D.C., was established by an Act of Congress in 2003, following decades of efforts to promote and highlight the contributions of African Americans. The museum’s website is a great source of information.
Juneteenth events in or near Delaware
Juneteenth: Standing Up and Breaking Free
Saturday, June 17, 2-6 p.m.
George Wilson Center
303 New London Rd., Newark
Delaware Juneteenth Association Freedom Festival and Parade
Saturday, June 17
Parade kick-off: 10 a.m.
Rodney Square, 11th and King streets
Festival: 12 p.m.
Tubman-Garrett Riverfront Park, Rosa Parks Dr., Wilmington
Juneteenth Observance
Monday, June 19, 5 p.m.
Cornerstone Fellowship Baptist Church
20 W. Lea Blvd., Wilmington
Women with a Vision's 3rd Annual Juneteenth Entrepreneurial Expo
Saturday, June 17, 6-10 p.m.
Delaware Museum of Nature and Science
4840 Kennett Pike, Wilmington
Beyond Juneteenth Ancestors Festival: Afrisympoemsium & Expo
Sunday, June 18, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
Delaware Art Museum
2301 Kentmere Pkwy., Wilmington
Juneteenth Freedom Day
Saturday, June 17, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library
5105 Kennett Pike, Wilmington
YMCA of Delaware Juneteenth Celebrations
Saturday, June 17, and Monday, June 19
All YMCA of Delaware locations will be open to the community, June 19, for free. Special events vary by location.
Delaware Freedom Ride 2023
Saturday, June 17, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
New Castle Courthouse Museum
211 Delaware St., New Castle
Beyond Juneteenth
Saturday, June 17, 12 p.m.
Drop Squad Kitchen
928 Justison St., Wilmington
2nd Annual JuneTEENth Luncheon and Celebration
Monday, June 19, 12-3 p.m.
Crossroad Christian Church
4867 North Dupont Highway, Dover
Juneteenth Celebration
Monday, June 19, 12 p.m.
Legislative Mall
410 Legislative Ave., Dover
2nd Annual Juneteenth Festival Block Party
Saturday, June 17, 12 p.m.
Dover High School
1 Dover High Dr., Dover
Juneteenth Program at the Zwaanendael Museum
Saturday, June 17, 4 p.m.
Via Zoom
Juneteenth Freedom Day Family Event
Saturday, June 24, 1-6 p.m.
George Smith Park
Johnson St. and DuPont Ave., Lewes
Juneteenth Celebration
Saturday, June 17, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Richard Allen Elementary School
316 S. Railroad Ave., Georgetown
Fourth Annual Elkton Juneteenth Celebration
Monday, June 19, 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m.
Neighborhood Community Center
121 Stockton St., Elkton, Maryland
Fashioning Freedom: An Evening Honoring Juneteenth
Friday, June 16, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Longwood Gardens
1001 Longwood Rd., Kennett Square, Pennsylvania
(If your organization is planning a Juneteenth event in or near Delaware and it is not listed, send the information via email to ocm@udel.edu. The information must be supplied in the format of events already listed and please include a contact phone number for the person submitting the information. Thank you.)
Article by Amy Wolf Illustration by Jeffrey C. Chase | Photos by Maria Errico and iStock June 16, 2023
