Tag Archives: Juneteenth

Guest column: Celebrating racial justice and equality on Juneteenth

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism

By Alaysia Hackett
U.S. Department of Labor

(Courtesy, U.S. Department of Labor)

Juneteenth commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans in the United States. On June 19, 1865, Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas – home, at the time, to 250,000 enslaved Black people – and announced that the Civil War was over, slavery had ended, and Black people everywhere were free.

The raising of the Juneteenth flag is a symbol of solidarity and pride among Black Americans. The flag consists of a star representing freedom; a burst representing a “new beginning;” an arc representing a “new horizon;” and set in the colors of red, white and blue noting that enslaved people and their descendants were and are Americans. By celebrating Juneteenth and raising the flag, we honor the history, culture and achievements of Black Americans and their contributions to this country.

 

We honor Juneteenth as a day to celebrate the freedom and dignity of Black Americans who were enslaved for generations. It is also a day to acknowledge the ongoing struggle for racial justice and equality in our nation.

 

After the Union army captured New Orleans in 1862, slave owners in Confederate states moved to Texas with more than 150,000 enslaved Black people. For three years, even after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, enslaved Black Americans in Texas remained in harsh bondage, unjustly and illegally denied their freedom and basic rights. On June 19, 1865, more than two years after President Lincoln declared all enslaved people free, Major General Gordon Granger and Union army troops marched to Galveston to enforce the Emancipation Proclamation and free the last enslaved Black Americans in Texas.

Today, we commemorate Juneteenth as our newest federal holiday, thanks to bipartisan legislation signed by President Biden in 2021. We celebrate the achievements and contributions of Black Americans who have fought for liberty and democracy throughout our history. We also recognize the work that remains to be done to fulfill our nation’s promise of equal rights for all.

 

At the Department of Labor, we are passionate about empowering the Black community. And we are helping to close the Black wealth gap by fostering a culture of inclusion, enhancing career opportunities, identifying and reducing race-based barriers to department services, and enforcing nondiscrimination policies.

The department also has three affinity groups focused on supporting Black employees: Black Attorney Advisory Council, Blacks In Government Department of Labor Chapter, and the Divine 9. In collaboration with the department’s diversity and inclusion branch, these employee resource groups work to create a sense of belonging for employees of color at the department and raise awareness to the entire department about the issues and concerns facing the Black community. Over the past year, these affinity groups launched a youth outreach and mentoring program and co-produced the department’s Job Shadow Day in February, specifically geared toward students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

Our nation cannot ignore its most painful history. By acknowledging and understanding the more troubling aspects of our past, we can begin to forge a path toward a more just future. Juneteenth is an opportunity to learn from our history, celebrate our progress, and engage in the work that continues. We pledge to uphold the values of democracy and equality that our nation was founded upon and to ensure that every American can enjoy the full measure of freedom that Juneteenth represents.

To commemorate Juneteenth, several of our affinity groups, including those mentioned above, are organizing events and leading the charge to bring awareness to important issues related to diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility.

The importance of Juneteenth does not only impact the Black community. It is a day for all Americans to reflect on how far we have come as a nation. And it is also a day for us to look at the work we still must do to achieve true freedom and equality for all.

 

Please join me in observing this essential day of national commemoration and have a joyful Juneteenth.

Alaysia Black Hackett is the chief diversity and equity officer for the U.S. Department of Labor.

Wyoming hosts first-ever Juneteenth event this Saturday

3-bottom, City of Wyoming, Community Health, Education, Health, Kids Activities, Recreation, , ,
Local children, lead by singer Tabitha Williams (far left), perform the Black National Anthem. (WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

In an effort to educate and build a bridge of understanding, the City of Wyoming is hosting its first-ever Juneteenth event this Saturday at Calvary Christian Reformed Church, 3500 Byron Center Ave. SW.

The free event will run from noon to 4 p.m. and will feature an array of programs on such topics as history, hair and the CROWN Act legislation, COVID 19 and the black health disparities, the Black Freedom Struggle and discussion on the Emancipation proclamation and the 13th Amendment.

“I wanted to create an intimate space that there could be an exchange of learning about the Black culture,” said Wyoming resident Dana Knight, who through the Wyoming Cultural Enrichment Commission, organized the Juneteenth event.

Juneteenth is an annual celebration commemorating the end of slavery in the United States. It marks the day –  June 19, 1865 – that a Union General issued an order announcing the end of the war and freeing enslaved African Americans in Texas. The order was signed in Galveston one day after the Union Army arrived in the western most Confederate state, two months after the surrender of Confederate General Robert E. Lee, and two and a half years after Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation.

The City of Grand Rapids has hosted a Juneteenth event for the past several years and Knight, who had lived in Grand Rapids, said she found herself heading to Grand Rapids to participate in cultural activities. After joining the Wyoming Cultural Enrichment Commission, she said discussed with the commission about hosting similar cultural events in Wyoming.

The Commission was open to the idea, according to Knight, and has planned several cultural events, including something for Black History Month and Juneteenth 2022, for next year. 

“There was discussion that there was money leftover this year because of COVID and the fact that there were no concerts last summer,” Knight said. “I said, if you approve it, we still have time to have a Juneteenth event this year.”

The Wyoming Cultural Enrichment Commission gave the green light with Knight then looking for a location to have the event. It was a challenge, as COVID restrictions had not been lifted.

“I was driving past (Calvary Christian Reformed Church) and it just struck me that they are always doing something for the community,” Knight said. “They have food trucks. They have a community dinner. They are just very involved with the community.”

Calvary Christian Reformed Church agreed to be the host site and from there, Knight began lining up speakers and presenters to focus on different topics such as the CROWN legislation act, which is focused on helping to end hair discrimination. There also will be discussions on the Freedom Rides, Marvin Gayes “What’s Going On,” racism as a public health crisis, the 1972 Black political convention and poetry presentations along with exhibits and artifacts.

“This is a cross cultural, cross racial opportunity for people who don’t have the opportunity to be around each other to talk and learn, to see each other as humans, as regular people,” Knight said.

The event will be filmed by WKTV and aired at a later date. Wyoming’s Juneteenth event is Saturday, June 19, from noon to 4 p.m. at Calvary Christian Reformed Church, 3500, Byron Center Ave. SW. 

Kentwood’s South Clinic one of three to have pop-up vaccine drive in honor of Juneteenth

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The Kent County Health Department will be offering vaccine clinics at three locations this weekend. (U.S. Government).

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

The Kent County Board of Commissioners is announcing several pop-up vaccination clinics, including one in Kentwood, in honor of the Juneteenth Holiday and to take further steps to end the grip of the pandemic on the African American community. County officials said they celebrate Juneteenth but also wanted to pause to recognize the lives that have been lost in the last year and encourage county residents to get the shot.

“Last year, the COVID-19 pandemic put many Juneteenth celebrations on hold,” said Kent County Chief Inclusion Officer Teresa Branson. “As we return to community celebrations, we are reminded that African Americans have suffered significant outcomes from the pandemic and that many of our community leaders are still working hard to drive down racial disparities in COVID-19 and increase vaccination rates.”

In Kent County, Black youth, and young adults ages 16-49 have lower vaccine rates than other racial or ethnic groups. Data also shows vaccine disparities in urban areas of the county that are occupied more heavily by African Americans. These disparities remind us that social, economic and environmental inequities result in adverse health outcomes and we will continue to work collaboratively to eliminate disparities and increase access to vaccinations across Kent County.

“We hope that people who are not familiar with the history of Juneteenth will take time to learn about this day and why it is so important,” said Kent County Board of Commissioners Chair Mandy Bolter. “On this day of hope, healing and restoration, we want to make the COVID-19 vaccine readily available to community members who have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. There is still a lot of work ahead of us, but getting the vaccine is a great start to getting us all back to normal.”

The Kent County Health Department will offer free vaccinations at three separate events:


Date: June 17

Time: 1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Location: Kent County Health Department South Clinic ∙ 4700 Kalamazoo Ave. SE ∙ Kentwood, MI 49508

Details: No appointment needed; walk-ins welcome


Date: June 18

Time: Noon – 2 p.m.

Location: Eastern Avenue Christian Reformed Church Parking Lot ∙ 514 Eastern SE ∙ Grand Rapids, MI ∙ 49507

Details: No appointment needed; walk-ins welcome


Date: June 19

Time:  1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Location: Dickenson Buffer Park ∙ 1635 Willard SE ∙ Grand Rapids, MI ∙ 49507

Details: No appointment needed; walk-ins welcome


Currently, the Pfizer vaccine is the only one approved for anyone 12 years and older and will be available at all three clinics. Residents ages 12-15 years old must have a parent or guardian present. Residents ages 16-17 years old may present a permission note from a parent or guardian but must have a driver aged 18 years or older present.

In addition to the vaccine, masks and hand sanitizer will be available free of charge at each clinic location.

“We hope our unvaccinated community members will come to our clinics, get vaccinated, and help protect themselves, their loved ones, friends, and neighbors,” concluded Chair Bolter.

Information about the COVID-19 vaccine can be found at https://vaccinatewestmi.com/.