BREAKING NEWS
Fans criticize Beyoncé for shirt calling Native Americans 'the enemies of peace'
Read full article: Fans criticize Beyoncé for shirt calling Native Americans 'the enemies of peace'A T-shirt worn by Beyoncé during a Juneteenth performance on her Cowboy Carter tour has caused a wave of criticism for the Houston-born pop star.
Juneteenth celebrations across the US commemorate the end of slavery
Read full article: Juneteenth celebrations across the US commemorate the end of slaveryCelebrations are being held around the country to commemorate the Juneteenth holiday marking the day in 1865 when Union soldiers brought the news of freedom to enslaved Black people in Texas.
Joe Biden to attend Juneteenth celebration at historic AME church in Texas
Read full article: Joe Biden to attend Juneteenth celebration at historic AME church in TexasFormer President Joe Biden will be attending a Juneteenth celebration at a historic African Methodist Episcopal church in Galveston, Texas.
Juneteenth celebrations adapt after corporate sponsors pull support
Read full article: Juneteenth celebrations adapt after corporate sponsors pull supportJuneteenth celebrations have been scaled back this year due to funding shortfalls as companies and municipalities across the country reconsider their support for diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
A guide to what the Juneteenth holiday is and how to celebrate it
Read full article: A guide to what the Juneteenth holiday is and how to celebrate itIt was 160 years ago that enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, learned they had been freed — after Civil War's end and two years after President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation.
“You Get Mixed Emotions”: Descendants of Enslaved to Lead Juneteenth Celebration at Reynolds Homestead
Read full article: “You Get Mixed Emotions”: Descendants of Enslaved to Lead Juneteenth Celebration at Reynolds HomesteadDescendants of enslaved honor legacy, educate, and connect generations through upcoming Juneteenth celebration.
On Juneteenth, monument dedicated in Alabama to those who endured slavery
Read full article: On Juneteenth, monument dedicated in Alabama to those who endured slaveryThe Equal Justice Initiative nonprofit invoked the Juneteenth holiday as it dedicated a monument that honors the people who endured and survived slavery.
Scorching temperatures, humidity making life miserable for millions from Midwest to Maine
Read full article: Scorching temperatures, humidity making life miserable for millions from Midwest to MaineA blistering heat wave stretching from the Midwest to the tip of Maine is leaving millions of people sweltering through the Juneteenth holiday.
Lynchburg Fire Department to open cooling centers for residents
Read full article: Lynchburg Fire Department to open cooling centers for residentsDue to extreme heat this week with temperatures expected to be in the mid-90's the Lynchburg Fire Department is urging precaution and opening cooling centers for residents.
Gladys Knight, Patti LaBelle join Biden for early Juneteenth celebration on White House lawn
Read full article: Gladys Knight, Patti LaBelle join Biden for early Juneteenth celebration on White House lawnPresident Joe Biden has celebrated the Juneteenth holiday early with a concert on the White House South Lawn.
Kentucky governor takes action on Juneteenth holiday and against discrimination based on hairstyles
Read full article: Kentucky governor takes action on Juneteenth holiday and against discrimination based on hairstylesKentucky Gov. Andy Beshear has designated Juneteenth as a holiday for state executive branch workers.
Squeezing in one last summer trip over Labor Day weekend? Expect crowded airports and full flights
Read full article: Squeezing in one last summer trip over Labor Day weekend? Expect crowded airports and full flightsIf you're squeezing in one last summer trip over the Labor Day weekend, expect lots of company.
Gatherings combining Pride and Juneteenth give Black LGBTQ+ people a refuge where they can celebrate
Read full article: Gatherings combining Pride and Juneteenth give Black LGBTQ+ people a refuge where they can celebrateFrom a block party in New York City to a movie screening outside of Denver, groups across the U.S. have found ways to merge Pride month and Juneteenth celebrations.
Americans mark Juneteenth with parties, events and quiet reflection on the end of slavery
Read full article: Americans mark Juneteenth with parties, events and quiet reflection on the end of slaveryAmericans across the country are observing the relatively new Juneteenth federal holiday with festivals, parades, cookouts and other gatherings.
Family suing San Diego cemetery after remains of Juneteenth trailblazer missing from burial plot
Read full article: Family suing San Diego cemetery after remains of Juneteenth trailblazer missing from burial plotRelatives of a late Black businessman who helped popularize Juneteenth in San Diego are suing a cemetery after his remains were reported missing from the family’s burial plot.
Parking lot party shooting leaves 1 dead and at least 22 people hurt in suburban Chicago
Read full article: Parking lot party shooting leaves 1 dead and at least 22 people hurt in suburban ChicagoAuthorities say one person is dead and at least 22 are wounded in suburban Chicago after a shooting early Sunday during a large gathering in a strip mall parking lot.
Biden celebrates Juneteenth, the newest federal holiday, at the White House
Read full article: Biden celebrates Juneteenth, the newest federal holiday, at the White HousePresident Joe Biden hosted a massive concert on the South Lawn of the White House to commemorate Juneteenth, the country’s newest federal holiday which the president said will “breathe a new life in the very essence of America.”.
Black entrepreneurs in Roanoke celebrate freedom to honor Juneteenth
Read full article: Black entrepreneurs in Roanoke celebrate freedom to honor JuneteenthJuneteenth is a holiday that marks the end of slavery in the United States. It’s a day that carries weight of the nation’s history and Black business owners in Roanoke are taking time to acknowledge the progression of the Black community.
Pres. Biden offers statement on Juneteenth
Read full article: Pres. Biden offers statement on JuneteenthOne year ago, I had the great honor of signing legislation to establish Juneteenth as a national holiday—the first new federal holiday since Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day nearly four decades ago. Juneteenth marks both the long, hard night of slavery and subjugation and a promise of a brighter morning to come. It is a day of profound weight and power that reminds us of our extraordinary capacity to heal, hope, and emerge from our most painful moments into a better version of ourselves. Great nations don’t ignore their most painful moments. They confront them to grow stronger. And that is what this great nation must continue to do.
Black Americans living abroad reflect on Juneteenth holiday
Read full article: Black Americans living abroad reflect on Juneteenth holidayAs the United States marks only the second federally recognized Juneteenth, Black Americans living overseas have embraced the holiday as a day of reflection and an opportunity to educate people in their host countries on Black history.
Despite push, states slow to make Juneteenth a paid holiday
Read full article: Despite push, states slow to make Juneteenth a paid holidayThe effort to officially celebrate Juneteenth as a paid holiday has faced skepticism inside legislatures that have largely chosen symbolic gestures to recognize the holiday while curtailing certain conversations on race and racism.
“It means freedom!”: Opal Lee, grandmother of Juneteenth, speaks at Virginia Tech
Read full article: “It means freedom!”: Opal Lee, grandmother of Juneteenth, speaks at Virginia TechSunday, Virginia Tech welcomed her for a community conversation. It was part of the University’s 1872 Forward celebration, a 3-day celebration that brings to life how the past shapes the present and leads the university into the future, according to their website.
SC workers may get Juneteenth, Confederate holiday choice
Read full article: SC workers may get Juneteenth, Confederate holiday choiceA bill that would allow state employees to take the Juneteenth holiday or any other day instead of Confederate Memorial Day has unanimously passed the South Carolina Senate.
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Juneteenth, recalling end of slavery, is marked across US
Read full article: Juneteenth, recalling end of slavery, is marked across USParades, picnics and lessons in history are all part of Juneteenth events in the U.S. The day is carrying even more significance after Congress and President Joe Biden created a federal holiday to commemorate the end of slavery.
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This tour of a Gainsboro neighborhood highlights the rich African American history it holds
Read full article: This tour of a Gainsboro neighborhood highlights the rich African American history it holdsTo celebrate Juneteenth, a local historian guides a group through Gainsboro on Friday, teaching about the neighborhood’s rich African American history.
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Hollywood comes to Alleghany County for Juneteenth with viewing of BlacKkKlansman with movie writer
Read full article: Hollywood comes to Alleghany County for Juneteenth with viewing of BlacKkKlansman with movie writerMany people are being educated about and then celebrating Juneteenth for the first time this year.
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Booker T. Washington National Monument hosting virtual Juneteenth celebration
Read full article: Booker T. Washington National Monument hosting virtual Juneteenth celebrationOn Saturday, you can commemorate Juneteenth by stepping back in time at a national monument celebrating one of America’s most prominent African American educators.
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‘An important symbol of hope’: Gov. Ralph Northam commemorates Juneteenth at Fort Monroe
Read full article: ‘An important symbol of hope’: Gov. Ralph Northam commemorates Juneteenth at Fort Monroe2021 marks the second year Juneteenth is observed in Virginia, but it’s the first year it’s celebrated as a permanent state holiday.
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Lawmakers mark Juneteenth with talk of ‘abolition amendment’
Read full article: Lawmakers mark Juneteenth with talk of ‘abolition amendment’As the nation this week made Juneteenth a federal holiday, lawmakers are reviving calls to end a loophole in the Constitution that has allowed another form of slavery to endure.
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In your words: Here’s what you said Juneteenth means to you
Read full article: In your words: Here’s what you said Juneteenth means to youJuneteenth is coming up, this weekend in fact -- and for those who might be unfamiliar, the holiday commemorates the emancipation of enslaved people in the United States.
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EXPLAINER: The story of Juneteenth, the new federal holiday
Read full article: EXPLAINER: The story of Juneteenth, the new federal holidayThe United States government is catching up with Black people who have been commemorating the end of slavery in the United States for generations with a day called “Juneteenth.”.
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Christiansburg Institute Inc. honors formerly enslaved students during Juneteenth celebration
Read full article: Christiansburg Institute Inc. honors formerly enslaved students during Juneteenth celebrationThe event will take place on the historic grounds of Christiansburg Industrial Institute, the first high school for Black students in Southwest Virginia.
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Biden signs bill making Juneteenth a federal holiday
Read full article: Biden signs bill making Juneteenth a federal holidayPresident Joe Biden has signed legislation Thursday establishing a new federal holiday commemorating the end of slavery, saying he believes it will go down as one of the greatest honors he has as president.
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Will Juneteenth become a federal holiday? Senate unanimously passes a bill, bringing it one step closer
Read full article: Will Juneteenth become a federal holiday? Senate unanimously passes a bill, bringing it one step closerIt’s an occasion that’s recognized in most states and the District of Columbia, but it’s not as of yet a federal holiday.
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Event spotlights untold history of local Black Union soldiers leading up to Juneteenth
Read full article: Event spotlights untold history of local Black Union soldiers leading up to JuneteenthYou don’t have to be a history buff to get reeled into “Fighting for Freedom: Black Union Soldiers from Rockbridge”.
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In your own words: What does Juneteenth mean to you?
Read full article: In your own words: What does Juneteenth mean to you?Juneteenth, the holiday celebrating the day in 1865 that all enslaved Black people learned they had been freed, is often celebrated by families across the nation -- with events including cookouts, parades or community festivals.
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Virginia lawmakers vote to make Juneteenth a state holiday
Read full article: Virginia lawmakers vote to make Juneteenth a state holidayJuneteenth has officially become a state holiday after lawmakers unanimously approved legislation during the Virginia General Assembly special session. Juneteenth marks the day news of the Emancipation Proclamation reached Texas, which was the last state to abolish slavery. Ralph Northam signed the legislation on Oct. 13. Northam proposed making Juneteenth a state holiday in June during a press conference that included musician and Virginia native Pharrell Williams. Northam signed an executive order that gave executive branch employees and state colleges the day off.
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As campaign heats up, Trump woos Latino, Black voters
Read full article: As campaign heats up, Trump woos Latino, Black votersHe courted Hispanic voters near Miami and Black voters in Atlanta. “This is an unusual name for an organization whose ideology and tactics are right now destroying many Black lives,” Trump charged. On Friday morning, at his golf club in Doral, Florida, Trump tried to blunt Biden’s support among Hispanic voters at a “Latinos for Trump” roundtable. But a Monmouth University poll also conducted this month found Biden well ahead of Trump among Latino voters in the state, 58% to 32%. Hispanic voters in Florida tend to be somewhat more Republican-leaning than Hispanic voters nationwide because of the state’s Cuban American population, which Trump acknowledged several times in his remarks.
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Up next for police defunding advocates: Win local elections
Read full article: Up next for police defunding advocates: Win local electionsA person holds up a sign advocating for defunding the police as people gather to mark Juneteenth, Friday, June 19, 2020, in St. Louis. An outgrowth of the Defund the Police movement, the WFP Justice Fund is led by the Working Families Party and the Movement for Black Lives Electoral Justice Project. The result, they said, would be a shift in local government budgets and public safety systems around the country. For example, in Chicago's 2019 elections, WFP helped increase the council's Progressive Caucus to 18 seats out of the 50 total. In Washington, D.C., city council candidate Janeese Lewis George, backed by the Working Families Party, toppled an incumbent Democrat on a defunding platform and is in line to claim the seat in November.
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Facebook groups pivot to attacks on Black Lives Matter
Read full article: Facebook groups pivot to attacks on Black Lives MatterFILE - In this June 19, 2020, file photo, protesters wear protective masks as they march after a Juneteenth rally outside the Brooklyn Museum, in the Brooklyn borough of New York. A loose network of Facebook groups that took root across the country in April to organize protests over coronavirus stay-at-home orders has become a hub of misinformation and conspiracies theories that have pivoted to a variety of new targets. Their latest: Black Lives Matter and the nationwide protests against racial injustice. (AP Photo/John Minchillo
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'Lift Every Voice and Sing' hymn ignites hope across nation
Read full article: 'Lift Every Voice and Sing' hymn ignites hope across nation(AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)LOS ANGELES The Black national anthem was born more than a century ago, but the popular hymn within the African American community called Lift Every Voice and Sing has resurrected a beacon of hope during nationwide protests. The NAACP dubbed Lift Every Voice and Sing as the Black national anthem in 1919. Sharpton said the ability of Lift Every Voice and Sing enduring several generations speaks volumes. The NFL will play Lift Every Voice and Sing" before each game during Week 1, a person familiar with the discussions told The Associated Press. There's always been the controversy about race being involved in the national anthem.
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Walking tour of Roanoke’s ‘Black Wall Street’ capitalizes on growing Juneteenth energy
Read full article: Walking tour of Roanoke’s ‘Black Wall Street’ capitalizes on growing Juneteenth energyROANOKE, Va. – About a hundred people saw history on foot through Roanoke’s Gainsboro neighborhood on this Juneteenth 2020. Bell has spent the last few months learning everything there is to know about the neighborhood. “It used to be our Black Wall Street, Black Wall Street is getting a lot of attention in Tulsa, Oklahoma over the past couple of months, but Roanoke had its own Black Wall Street and that was Gainsboro, Roanoke,” Bell said. “Having it offered today, and especially on Juneteenth, I was like, ‘Yes, this is the way I want to celebrate,‘ I want to learn history and do my part in terms of understanding what really happened,” Trozzo said. Urban renewal happened, primarily to build the Roanoke Civic Center and Interstate 581 decimated the neighborhood back in the 60s.
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‘I’m black inside and out, and proud of that’: Teenagers lead Juneteenth march in Roanoke
Read full article: ‘I’m black inside and out, and proud of that’: Teenagers lead Juneteenth march in RoanokeROANOKE, Va. – Juneteenth commemorations happened all across the country on Friday, but Roanoke’s celebration had a different set of leaders. Roanoke’s NAACP Youth Council organized Friday afternoon’s Juneteenth march through Roanoke’s Gainsboro neighborhood. “I realized I’m black inside and out, and I’m proud of that fact.”Several notable Roanokers attended the Juneteenth commemoration, including Mayor Sherman Lea, Police Chief Sam Roman, and Del. Washington-Brown said she’s optimistic Roanoke can make even more social progress by the time next Juneteenth comes, especially if people her age speak up. “I hope that other youth see this, and are encouraged to step forward and use their voices,” Washington-Brown said.
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DC protesters pull down, burn statue of Confederate general
Read full article: DC protesters pull down, burn statue of Confederate generalPresident Donald Trump quickly tweeted about the toppling, calling out D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and writing: The DC police are not doing their job as they watched a statue be ripped down and burn. After the statue fell, most protesters returned peacefully to Lafayette Park near the White House. The Pike statue has been a source of controversy over the years. The former Confederate general was also a longtime influential leader of the Freemasons, who revere Pike and who paid for the statue. Ever since 1992, members of the DC Council have been calling on the federal govt to remove the statue of Confederate Albert Pike (a federal memorial on federal land).
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The Latest: Beyonc single benefits Black-owned businesses
Read full article: The Latest: Beyonc single benefits Black-owned businessesThe singer's website says the song released late Friday, June 19, 2020, will benefit black-owned small businesses. (AP Photo/Ben Margot, File)TOP OF THE HOUR: Beyonc releases new single to benefit Black-owned small businesses. Nevada officials renew proposal to remove statue of McCarran. ___LOS ANGELES Beyonc did not let Juneteenth pass without dropping one of her signature surprises in the form a new single called Black Parade.The singers website says the song released late Friday will benefit Black-owned small businesses. Make America great again give me the date that America was great for everybody, Sharpton said.
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Minnesota ends special session without deal on policing
Read full article: Minnesota ends special session without deal on policing(AP Photo/Jim Mone)MINNEAPOLIS A special session of the Minnesota Legislature ended Saturday without agreement on remaking policing in the state where George Floyd was killed. I'm deeply disappointed that Senate Republicans ended the special session before our job was done," Senate Minority Leader Susan Kent tweeted. Were not walking away from Minnesota here, but I think we could all benefit from a breather, Gazelka said just before adjournment, Minnesota Public Radio News reported. The special session was necessary for Democratic Gov. If Walz seeks to extend his emergency powers an additional 30 days, he's required to call another special session for July 12 to let lawmakers object.
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Lynchburg NAACP holding a 5-mile bike ride for racial justice
Read full article: Lynchburg NAACP holding a 5-mile bike ride for racial justiceLYNCHBURG, Va. – The Juneteenth celebrations will continue in Lynchburg on Saturday. Members of Lynchburg’s NAACP are asking people to participate in a 5-mile bike ride for racial justice. Organizers said the bike ride will honor the holiday, show solidarity and raise money for the local chapter. People will gather at Percival Isle near the LOVE sign at 1 p.m.
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Lynchburg celebrates Juneteenth in a virtual way
Read full article: Lynchburg celebrates Juneteenth in a virtual wayLYNCHBURG, Va. – People in Lynchburg could not physically meet to celebrate Juneteenth because of the coronavirus pandemic, but some chose to bring the celebration to the community online. Dancers with Lynchburg’s Juneteenth Coalition took the stage to perform African dances before an empty theater. Dancers with Lynchburg’s Juneteenth Coalition took the stage to perform African dances before an empty theater. Hundreds watched the dancing and listened to the mayor and local poets thanks to the livestream, which you can watch a replay of here. Organizers with the Academy Center of Arts said the event was planned months ago before the governor’s state-paid holiday announcement.
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5 Things to Know for Today
Read full article: 5 Things to Know for TodayJuneteenth, the holiday that commemorates the end of slavery in the United States, originated 155 years ago. (Stuart Villanueva/The Galveston County Daily News via AP, File)Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today:1. YOUNG IMMIGRANTS STILL FACE UNCERTAINTY The Supreme Court rejected Trumps effort to end legal protections for 650,000 young immigrants, but activists say legislation giving them a path to U.S. citizenship remains elusive. SINGAPORE OPENS GYMS, DINING OUT The latest relaxation in the city-state comes as reopenings in many places around the world are touching off fresh spikes in coronavirus infections. BIDEN SEIZES ON BOLTON BOOK The Democrats top aides say Trump kowtowed to Xi Jinping and ignored human rights abuses while trying to get the Chinese presidents assistance with domestic politics.
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New solo version of Aretha song about race, faith released
Read full article: New solo version of Aretha song about race, faith releasedNEW YORK A never-before-heard solo version of the late Aretha Franklins riveting and powerful collaboration with Mary J. Blige about faith and race, 2006s Never Gonna Break My Faith, has arrived on Juneteenth. Never Gonna Break My Faith resonates today, featuring lyrics like: You can lie to a child with a smiling face/Tell me that color aint about a race.The world is very different now. It deserves to be an anthem.Never Gonna Break My Faith won best gospel performance at the 50th Grammy Awards in 2008, marking Franklins 18th and final Grammy win. This solo version has been sitting on my computer for years, and when I heard Clive was making a film on Arethas life, I sent this version to him. Im so glad its being released, the world needs this right now.
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Whats News Today: Juneteenth, Fathers Day
Read full article: Whats News Today: Juneteenth, Fathers DayROANOKE, Va. Virginia Senator Tim Kaine will hold a virtual discussion with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Virginia today. Governor Northam made today a holiday for state workers. The governor plans to propose legislation to make it a permanent state holiday. Friendship Health and Rehab will hold a Fathers Day Parade today. Its a chance for loved ones to connect with their fathers in the age of COVID-19.
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More U.S. workers getting Juneteenth off as awareness grows
Read full article: More U.S. workers getting Juneteenth off as awareness growsThe date - June 19th - is not a federal holiday, and many non-black Americans have only recently become of aware of the day. Several of her employees are spending the day volunteering for the Juneteenth Freedom Phonebank, an initiative encouraging Census participation. Declaring the date a federal holiday would add considerable momentum, and there is growing support for the idea. Sen. John Cornyn, a Texas Republican, introduced legislation Thursday to make Juneteenth a federal holiday. In contrast, 93% of employers close on Independence day, with similar rates for Labor Day, Christmas Day and Thanksgiving.

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