Juneteenth celebrates and marks the ending of slavery in the United States. There are many activities for Juneteenth in the past that still continue to this day such as fishing, barbequing, and baseball. A large focus of Juneteenth is on the education of this topic and self-improvement. Along with this, promoting the knowledge and appreciation of African American history and culture is also very important.
Juneteenth happens every year on June 19th, but that doesn’t mean you can only honor this special day once a year. You can honor Juneteenth all month long or even all year long with your team to keep the conversation going. Here is a list of ideas that can be planned during the month of June (& the rest of the year).
TLDR: There are many ways to celebrate Juneteenth all month long (or even all year long). It’s important to start by learning the history of Juneteenth and educating others. Virtual panels and events are a great way to get your entire global team involved. Many organizations also host panels with experts and/or guest speakers and are free to the public to attend.
Asynchronous ideas to celebrate and honor Juneteenth at any time include helping organizations that support the African American community and amplifying important voices on social media.
Learn the History ⏰
- Dating back to June 19th, 1865 in Galveston, Texas was when the war had ended and the enslaved were now free. That is why Juneteenth is celebrated on June 19th every year. Although it wasn’t until 1980 that it became an official state holiday in Texas, and later other states followed suit.
- Juneteenth today, celebrates and focuses on African American freedom and achievement. Self-development and respect for all cultures is additionally a big part of honoring this special day to promote growth.
Virtual Panels on the History 🎙
Help Organizations that Support the African American Community 💛
- A great place to start after educating yourself on the history and/or teaching others is by helping organizations that support the African American community. Many of these organizations have a mission to share knowledge and show appreciation of history and culture.
- As a team, you can run a virtual fundraiser to help raise money to donate to organizations that celebrate Juneteenth and support the Black Lives Matter movement. You can also find a volunteering opportunity that employees can participate in to give back to their community. Any small effort, by an individual or your whole team, counts and will contribute to creating an inclusive community.
Guest Speakers 📣
- To honor this day, host a virtual panel of guest speakers to educate your entire team on this topic, recount the history, and celebrate the culture. Some guests may even share their own stories about how this topic has affected their life and family.
- Open up a Q&A session afterward to give employees the chance to get involved and start a conversation. Ensure that you foster a safe space for this event so employees feel comfortable and empowered to share their own stories too.
Amplify Black Leader’s Voices on Social Media 📣
- On your personal social media account or your company’s platform, help amplify the voices and messages from black leaders by sharing their posts and content. Social media is a great way to spread the word and educate others on important topics like this. Sharing posts on social media on this topic is something that you can do all year long.
- You can also post content with actionable takeaways (such as charities to support, organizations, black-owned businesses, etc.) to go beyond just education and provide your followers with resources.
