In 2020, the year before President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act to recognize Juneteenth (June 19) as a federal holiday, Barnard marked its 155th commemoration by observing the date’s significance.
For more than a century, Texans — and, ultimately, many across the country — annually celebrated June 19, 1865, as the day Union soldiers announced the 1863 Emancipation Proclamation in the Lone Star State.
“In 1980, Texas was the first state to declare Juneteenth an official state holiday,” said Celia E. Naylor, professor of history and Africana studies, the year that Barnard made the holiday a campus-wide recognition. “Yet it was not until the late 20th century that individuals and organizations launched the modern Juneteenth movement, with the purpose of officially making ‘Juneteenth Independence Day’ a national holiday in the United States. Between 2000 and 2011, most states and the District of Columbia acted to recognize Juneteenth as a state holiday or a day of observance.”
Juneteenth in New York City
With the College closed for the day, as “a reminder of the protracted struggle of this country to abolish slavery as well as the power, resilience, and resistance of Black Americans,” a new tradition to bring community members together with special programming has taken place.
“This year, we encourage our community to collectively engage and reflect on the meaning of Juneteenth in New York City,” wrote Jennifer Rosales, vice president of Inclusion and Engaged Learning, and chief diversity officer, in a community email this year. “For the second year, we will sponsor Barnard community members to participate in the Juneteenth 5k Run/Walk/Roll in Central Park through north Central Park and Seneca Village, benefiting maintenance of the Harlem Center, a building housing over 30 Black-centered nonprofits.” (Register here for the 5K.)
The Instagram of Barnard’s Office of Community Engagement and Inclusion (CEI) will spotlight Black-owned businesses as part of a series, as well as host an on-campus donation drive and Volunteering for Harlem Juneteenth Event, in collaboration with the Boys and Girls Club of Harlem.
And the Library and Academic Information Services (BLAIS) staff curated this list of text suggestions on Juneteenth and Black liberation.
Why Celebrate Juneteenth?
More Ways to Engage
There are plenty of opportunities to celebrate Juneteenth — from Barnard’s 5K to scholarship from alumnae — including the examples below:
DISCOVER: “Digitized primary sources detailing Black experiences with Slavery, Abolition, Emancipation, and Freedom,” spearheaded and curated by Harvard Library’s Digital Collections Program Manager Dorothy Berry ’92
READ: Professor Naylor’s Q&A breaking down the history behind Juneteenth
SAMPLE: From the roundup menu “Feasting on Freedom,” published by Eat the Culture, a website for Black culinary creators and entrepreneurs
