Juneteenth 2020

Juneteenth is celebrated on June 19th. It does not commemorate the end of slavery or the signing of the emancipation proclamation. The emancipation proclamation was signed on January 1st 1863. The 13th amendment passed the Senate on April 8, 1864, and the House on January 31, 1865. On December 6th, 1865 the 13th amendment was ratified.

Juneteenth commemorates the day Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger told slaves of their emancipation from slavery in Galveston TX on June 19th 1865. Last year, Pennsylvania joined several other states and the District of Columbia in either marking the day a state observance or state holiday. As of June 19th 2020, North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana and Hawaii do not recognize Juneteenth as a holiday.

Some films featuring Black themes, voices and stars to consider watching not only over this Juneteenth weekend but any time of the year:

1. Hidden figures (2016): See Common Sense Media review here
2. Selma (2014): See Rolling Stone review here
3. Do the right thing (1989): See New York times review here