Juneteenth & Pride Month
Every year, June marks a time when we recognize the historical roots of our social justice movements, and the work ahead of us. Our efforts were only made possible with the decades of community, organizing, and stories that were built while working towards the goal of making our world more just.June is recognized as Pride Month, a memorial to the 1969 Stonewall Uprisings, which were a pivotal moment for LGBTQ people fighting for their freedom and recognition.The Stonewall Uprisings were a series of spontaneous protests started from Queer and Trans people fighting back against state repression they faced throughout the 20th century. These protests started one night during a police raid at the Stonewall Inn, a frequent gathering spot for LGBTQ people in New York's Greenwich Village Neighborhood. The protests led to a wave of protest, and activism, around the country, and is now widely recognized as the start of the today's movement for LGBTQ rights.June 19th also memorializes another historical moment, the day when the Union Army proclaimed the emancipation of enslaved Black people in Galveston, TX in 1865 — nearly two and a half years after President Lincoln signed the emancipation proclamation. Today Juneteenth is recognized as a federal holiday, and within many Black communities across the nation, the holiday is celebrated as a day commemorating freedom and black liberation. It is also another day for all of us to rededicate ourselves to eliminating racism in our society.Visit the sources below to learn more about Juneteenth:
- https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/stories/historical-legacy-juneteenth
- https://www.nytimes.com/article/juneteenth-day-celebration.html
Visit the sources below to learn more about the Stonewall Uprisings