Today’s Action: Take action on Juneteenth

On June 19th, 1965, the Union Army landed in Galveston, Texas and shared the news of Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, which had freed Black slaves on January 1, 1963, to those still enslaved in Texas, where the proclamation had been deliberately withheld or ignored. Juneteenth is the annual holiday commemorating this day of emancipation.

As the protests against police violence and the calls for sweeping change for Black communities continue across our nation, Juneteenth is both celebratory and symbolic of the fact that the needs of the Black community continue to be gaslighted and ignored well into the 21st century.

Friday is Juneteenth and there are actions to take all weekend.

• Call or email your Members of Congress and tell them to make Juneteenth an observed national holiday.
• Attend a Juneteenth in-person or virtual event. Most events are on Friday, but not all! Enter your zip code to find an event near you, and read our guide to protesting safely during the pandemic if you plan to attend an in-person rally.
• No Juneteenth events near you? Consider hosting one. Chances are, there are others like you who want to celebrate or show solidarity.
• Follow your local Black Lives Matter chapters for additional virtual and in-person actions. Listening to what local chapters are calling for is one of the best ways to support the specific needs of your community.
• Make a donation to Movement 4 Black Lives, a collective of over 50 organizations contributing to the movement against police brutality toward Black communities.

We wish those celebrating Juneteenth a proud, safe, and joyful day. We ask allies to commit to taking at least one action in support: calling representatives, attending events, donating or self-educating.