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Honoring Juneteenth

In May of 2020, our global society erupted with outcries for justice, equity, and profound systemic change. These outcries were not new but instead renewed calls for justice that materialized in the form of community protest, transformative legislation, and intense family dialogue in our living rooms. While the tragic murder of George Floyd catalyzed these events, the sentiments stem from centuries of individuals fighting explicit and implicit inequity. These experiences are uniquely exacerbated when referring to the experience of black Americans. Understanding the black experience in America means acknowledging the generational trauma caused by the enslavement of Africans and the subsequent institutionalized racism embedded in society in response to their emancipation. The holiday of Juneteenth is in remembrance of these atrocities. However, it also is meant as a celebration; A symbol of hope and independence for a group of people finally escaping physical enslavement. The list below serves as a guide for a deeper understanding of the world around us and for instruction in partnering with others as we pursue the Kingdom of God. This pursuit comes through celebrating differences and by educating ourselves in the honest realities that shape our nation.

Resources for Learning

Understanding Historical Context

• High on the Hog: How African American Cuisine Transformed America
• The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness 
• In Class With Carr: What is Juneteenth?

Prominent Figures for the Culture

• Black Fortunes: The First Six African Americans Who Survived Slavery & Became Millionaires
• Nat Turner
• The Figures of Today

Carrying the Torch

• A Promised Land by Barack Obama
• The Young, Black and Figuring It Out Podcast
• Amanda Gorman: The Hill we Climb

Presented by: The Office of Diversity & Equity
Created by: Herb Alexander and Kyle Sullivan

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