Honoring Juneteenth in 2022
June 19th marks Juneteenth, the oldest nationally recognized celebration of the ending of slavery in the United States. It honors the day (June 19, 1865) when a Union Army general announced an order proclaiming freedom for enslaved people in Texas, the last Confederate state with institutional slavery. In 2021, the federal government moved to approve Juneteenth as a Federal Holiday and Chatham followed suit, opting to recognize Juneteenth as a paid holiday for employees. Today, Juneteenth is a day across the country to celebrate the freedom, history, culture, and achievements of the African American community. You can learn more about Juneteenth at www.govinfo.gov/features/juneteenth.
If you’re looking for ways to celebrate Juneteenth in Pittsburgh, we highly recommend checking out the events and resources being offered by WPA Juneteenth, who will be hosting events from June 17th through June 19th. Visit Pittsburgh also has a curated schedule of events and the Heinz History Center will be kicking off Civic Season, a series highlighting local African American pioneers.
If you’re looking for ways to learn more about Juneteenth, check out this list of resources recommended by Interim Chair of the Department of Social Sciences, Lou Martin:
A Black in Appalachia podcast episode which highlights Emancipation Day celebrations
The Association for the Study of African American Life and History’s article on “Why Juneteenth Matters”
A government resource on what went into making Juneteenth a federally recognized holiday
Is there something missing from our Juneteenth resources that you’d like to see recognized here or in the future? Please be sure to let us know by contacting communications@chatham.edu.