Five Ways to Celebrate Juneteenth 2023

A few suggestions from our School to honor Freedom Day!

This Monday, June 19, CUNY SPS will join the rest of the nation in celebrating Juneteenth, which commemorates the day in 1865 when enslaved Black people in Galveston, Texas, finally learned — two years after President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation — that they were free.

Celebrated informally by many Black communities around the United States since 1866 with street festivals, parades, barbecues, and fairs, Juneteenth (also known as Freedom Day, Liberation Day, and Emancipation Day) was formally designated as an official New York State public holiday in 2020, and as a federal holiday in 2021.

Here’s 5 ways — and places — that the CUNY SPS community plans to celebrate this historic day in 2023:

In a Bookstore

On the evening of Monday, June 19, the CUNY SPS MA in Applied Theatre (MAAT) will host the Juneteenth event “Call and Response: 2 Poets Having Very Black Conversation thru Spoken Word.”

H. “Herukhuti” Sharif Williams, who teaches in the MAAT program, will join fellow poet Rajnii Eddins to share their work and the experiences that inspired them in the tradition of the griot.

Learn more and purchase tickets here.

In a Museum

On Saturday, June 17, the New-York Historical Society will host an in-person, family-friendly event Living History: Celebrate Juneteenth.

This event will explores the origins of the celebration, how it has changed over time, and the many local traditions connected with the holiday. (Free with museum admission.)

In a Park

Many NYC parks around the city are offering Juneteenth events. Visit here for the complete list.

One CUNY SPS favorite is the Soul of Food: A Juneteenth Jubilee, which will be held this Saturday in Brooklyn.

In a Library

The New York Public Library is hosting a number of Juneteenth events, including several for children.

One exciting event for the whole family that we’ll be sure to check out is the Schomburg Center Literary Festival: Reading the African Diaspora on Saturday June 17.

Online

In 2021, faculty from our larger CUNY family spoke about Juneteenth in a talk entitled The Importance of Juneteenth in Higher Education.

View the recorded discussion between Ted Widmer, professor and historian at Macaulay Honors College, and Dara N. Byrne, associate provost and dean at John Jay College, here.

This is a fascinating conversation, especially for those in higher education, and we are excited to watch the video!

Want to learn more about Juneteenth? The CUNY SPS Committee on Institutional Equity and Diversity (CIED) has compiled an extensive page of videos, readings, and events exploring this day on its Resources page. Check it out as part of your own celebration of Juneteenth!