A 5,000-square-foot mural created by Reginald C. Adams, at the spot where, in 1865, Gen. Gordon Granger issued the orders that resulted in the freedom of more than 250,000 enslaved Black people in the state, in Galveston, Texas, on May 5, 2021. In 2021 the U.S. House voted 415-14 to make Juneteenth, or June 19th, the 12th federal holiday. The Senate passed the bill a day earlier under a unanimous consent agreement that expedites the process for considering legislation. President Biden signed the bill into law. (Montinique Monroe/The New York Times)
The Juneteenth Flag, Explained
The flag’s designer shares the story and inspiration for his design.
Kenya Hunter, Capital B Atlanta
June 15, 2022
As the Juneteenth holiday approaches, you’ll start to see various symbols of Blackness across the country. Front lawns, apartment balconies, and clothing with the pan-African flag, “Black Power” fist, and other celebratory symbols will be everywhere. But did you know there’s a specific flag for Juneteenth?
In fact, it has a backstory that goes back to the late 1990s. Capital B spoke with Ben Haith, the flag’s creator, and others to learn more about its history and impact. Read more
Commemorating Juneteenth
June 13, 2022
Davin Phoenix, UCI political science associate professor and Inclusive Excellence Term Chair Professor, offers reflections.
As we mark Juneteenth, UCI political science associate professor Davin Phoenix’s reflections on the link between Black commemoration and pride and his important research on political engagement illuminate how our links to larger struggles for justice build collective resilience and motivate the march toward justice. Read more
UC President Drake announces Juneteenth a new UC Holiday
June 18, 2021
Yesterday President Biden declared a federal holiday for Juneteenth, the day that celebrates and commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. This is an historic moment for our nation — 156 years in the making. Read more
UCI Vice Chancellor of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion on Juneteenth
June 18, 2021
Yesterday President Joseph Biden signed into law the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act commemorating the end of slavery in the United States. By creating this federal holiday, the United States government marks an important milestone in the protracted struggle for national accountability for the institution of slavery and its afterlife. Read more
UCI Podcast: Jessica Millward on the meaning and importance of Juneteenth
June 18, 2021
June 19 — Juneteenth — marks the day in 1865 that the Union Army announced in Texas that the African American slaves were free. Black Americans since then have honored the day, even as it has gone unnoticed by many others. But in 2020, with protesters filling the streets over the death of George Floyd, what is there to celebrate? Jessica Millward, an associate professor of history at UCI, tells the UCI Podcast about the history behind Juneteenth, the decades upon decades of continued struggle, and the hope she feels in this moment. Listen here