Honoring Juneteenth at Puppet
by Trevor Jenkins, Director of DEI, Puppet by Perforce
You may have heard the word Juneteenth circling in tech over the last several days. What is Juneteenth? What is its significance? Juneteenth is a 157 year old holiday celebrating the emancipation of African-Americans from slavery in the United States.
Although President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, declaring all slaves free, it could only be applied to slaves who lived in Union state lines. It wasn’t until June 19, 1865, that Union soldiers finally marched into Galveston, Texas, with the good news that the Civil War was officially over, and that slavery had been abolished.
Imagine being enslaved and hearing for the first time that you’re free. Imagine coming to the knowledge that slavery had been abolished for more than two years and you are now just hearing about it. The response to this news ranged from collapsing with shock to pure jubilation. Not knowing where to go, 250,000 newly-freed former slaves walked off their owners’ plantations to experience their first steps of freedom.
In the words of philosopher George Santayana, “Those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it.” As a community, we have a lot to learn, and we are committed to learning. Even though Juneteenth is on Sunday, June 19, in the spirit of Juneteenth, this Monday, June 20, we commemorate this day by respecting its history, and making it a day of reflection and continued learning for all our employees.
Lament
In learning about Juneteenth, you’d be correct in recognizing that this is not merely a day of celebration. Many societies were built on a foundation of racism, and it has permeated the very core of who we are since the founding of our country. Juneteenth is as much an acknowledgment of this complicated history, and it is appropriate to lament.
To lament means to express grief or sorrow. It’s to acknowledge that something happened that never should’ve happened. As we elevate the resilience of Black Americans by honoring Juneteenth, we also must lament that a system of slavery was enforced in a nation that was founded on the principles of equality. Something happened to Black people that never should’ve happened.
Racism did not end with Juneteenth. Our work has just begun.
What follows in this document is a series of resources to help you learn about history and reflect on your own part, lament the injustices inflicted upon Black people for centuries, and how to elevate people and organizations in your communities. It is through these actions and our continued efforts that we honor Juneteenth.
Learn
For many of us, Juneteenth may be something we’ve never heard of. For others, it’s on the periphery of our cultural understanding. The following is by no means a comprehensive list of resources, but a great place to begin learning about Juneteenth and the systems put in place to separate and inhibit the progress of so many:
Watch
What is Juneteenth? (1m 08s)
Black History Month: The meaning behind Juneteenth (2m 54s)
13th | Full Feature (1h 40M 02s)
Read
Juneteenth World Wide Celebration
PBS African American Blog on Juneteenth
The 1619 Project
Listen
153 Years of Juneteenth | The Takeaway (12m 39s)
We’ve Been Here Before | The Nod (8m 37s)
