"...so they called it Juneteenth."
Juneteenth flag // source: Wikimedia Commons
“Words of Emancipation didn’t arrive until the middle of June so they called it Juneteenth.” — Ralph Ellison
As you may know, this Friday, June 19th, is Juneteenth, an important day in American history, known as African American Independence Day. Juneteenth is the oldest celebration of the end of slavery in the United States. It marks the day in 1865 when the Emancipation Proclamation was read to enslaved African Americans in Texas, the last of the Confederate states to receive that news.
Some companies and most states recognize Juneteenth as a holiday, and there is a growing movement to see it recognized as a national holiday. For the church, Juneteenth can be a day that helps us remember the past and that pushes us to pray for a future when the equality of African Americans will be more fully evident.
As part of the Presbyterian Church in America, City Church is connected in belief and practice to other churches in the greater Richmond area. Our regional collection of churches—the James River Presbytery—has called for a Day of Prayer for Racial Justice and Reconciliation on Friday, June 19, 2020. Although City Church observed its own Day of Prayer two weeks ago, we invite you to join with us in praying for justice and peace again this Friday. We should see the corporate confession of our sin over racism as an ongoing and iterative process. As we learn more about the history and present experience of African Americans in America we should keep returning to prayer as the seedbed for our faithful pursuit of justice and mercy.
As I wrote in the pastoral letter we sent out two weeks ago, "By prayer the Spirit leads me—and will lead us—into faithful action for justice in our city and nation.” In that Spirit, we invite the people of City Church to pray for the continued healing of our region. May God’s kingdom come to Richmond as it is in heaven.
For those interested in a virtual or in-person Juneteenth events hosted by the Christian community within Richmond, here are a couple of options:
The Life Church, alongside other churches and faith leaders in the Richmond area, will host a rally at 5pm on Friday at Lumpkin’s Jail (1509 East Broad Street). More information is available on their Facebook page. Please note: this event has been postponed due to weather. Keep an eye out for a rescheduled date.
Richmond Hill will host Zoom panel discussion on Friday from 7pm to 8:30pm. It’s entitled “What does it mean to be free?” and will feature Janine Bell, founder and president of the Elegba Folklore Society, Anthony Gaboton, Marketing Assistant at Richmond Hill, and Jasmine Leeward, a social justice oriented communications strategist. Sign up for that on Richmond Hill’s website.
If you’d like to participate in a conversation that reaches beyond Richmond, we suggest:
Voices Underground’s public Zoom panelist discussion, Juneteenth: A Promise Unfulfilled, which will take place on Friday from 11am to 12:15pm. Panelists include Anasa Troutman, President/CEO of The Big We; Tanner Latham, Co-Founder & Executive Producer at Ingredient; Naomi Simonson, Kenneth Square Organizer; Greg Thompson, Scholar & Executive Director of Voices Underground; Brenda Allen, President of Lincoln University; and Catherine Clinton, Denman Chair of American History at the University of Texas and Professor Emerita of Queens University Belfast. Alexander Parham, Managing Director of Voices Underground, will moderate. The meeting ID is 831 3133 6285; the password is 099345.
And for those interested in a kid-friendly explainer/exploration of Juneteenth, Jennifer curated the resources below, some of which are great for adults, too. Take a look through them and decide what you think will speak best to your kids.
Juneteenth for Maizie: A read-aloud of Floyd Cooper’s picture book Juneteenth for Maizie that follows a young girl as she learns about Juneteenth.
Two Minute History of Juneteenth: A quick and engaging introduction to Juneteenth that serves as a great jumping off point for further discussion.
What Is Juneteenth?: Another great introduction to Juneteenth that offers some additional historical context and insight as to why it should be recognized as a national holiday.
Freedom: A musical performance from the show Blackish that offers some history of Juneteenth and also speaks to injustices Black people continued to face even after the Emancipation Proclamation went into effect—an important addition to a conversation with kids who are developmentally able to look at history’s bigger picture.
With thanks,
Erik