Juneteenth 2022

A New Day Begun

The UConn Library is proud to join the State of Connecticut and the nation in recognizing Juneteenth, a holiday celebrated in African American communities for over 150 years. On May 5, 2022, lawmakers in the State of Connecticut voted to make Juneteenth an official state holiday. Juneteenth became a federal holiday in 2021.

In this guide, you'll find recommends for ways you can celebrate Juneteenth, honor the memories of those who endured enslavement, and support Black communities in Connecticut.

For questions about this guide or to suggest content, please contact:

June 19, 1865

Even though the Emancipation Proclamation was signed and took effect in 1863, liberation from enslavement was not implemented in placed under Confederate control until the passage of the 13th Amendment. Enslaved people in Confederate-controlled regions waited up to two more years for liberation.

Emancipation Day celebration, June 19, 1900 held in "East Woods" on East 24th Street in Austin. Credit: Austin History Center.

"Freedom finally came on June 19th, 1865, when some 2,000 Union troops arrived in Galveston Bay, Texas. The army announced that more than 250,000 enslaved Black people in the state were free by executive decree. This came to be known as 'Juneteenth' by newly freed people in Texas." -- National Museum of African American History and Culture

 

Video: The Black National Anthem, "Lift Every Voice and Sing", by J. Rosamond Johnson and James Weldon Johnson.

Ways to Celebrate

Share a Meal

Cooking together and sharing meals is an important part of any Juneteenth celebration. The UConn Libraries maintains a selection of print and eBooks on African American culinary history and foodways. This is an excellent place to start learning about the significance of Black culinary traditions in American society.

Online Resources

Video : Explore the history of barbeque with Black culinary historian, Michael Twitty, author of The Cooking Gene: A Journal through African American Culinary History in the Old South

Support Black-Owned Businesses

In the years following emancipation, known as Reconstruction (1865-1877), newly freed people established self-sustaining communities. They built neighborhoods, founded churches and schools, and formed social clubs. They also began to accumulate economic power by becoming business owners. Celebrate and honor the resilience of the Black entrepreneurial spirit by supporting local Black-owned businesses. By doing so, you can challenge structural racism and support economic and social equity in your community.

To find local Black-owned businesses in your area, visit ShopBlackCT -- CT's Black-Owned Business Guide.

Map view of ShopBlackCT directory

Learn Something New

Set aside time and create the intention to learn about the history of Juneteenth and Black people in America and Connecticut. There are many ways to learn -- books, articles, films, podcasts, heritage tours, and more.

Juneteenth & Emancipation

 

Books for Kids

Black History in the U.S.

 

Books for Kids

 

Films

Click here to browse Africana Studies library resources

 

Black History in Connecticut

Films

 

Heritage Tours

 

Click here for more resources on Black history in Connecticut and New England

Be in Community

More than anything, Juneteenth is about being in community. Across the US and throughout the state of Connecticut, communities will gather during the month of June to honor the millions of enslaved children, women, and men. It is a day of memorial for those who died dreaming of liberation for themselves and future generations. It is a day of celebration for those who lived to see emancipation. It is a day of hope for Black communities still fighting for liberation.

Find a Juneteenth & Black cultural events near you:

Bloomfield / Windsor

  • June 18: Juneteenth Parade* at Blue Hills Fire Dept. | 11am
  • June 19: Juneteenth Community Cookout* at Blue Hills Fire Dept. | 2pm – 6pm

*View the Blue Hills Fire Department Calendar for more information


Bloomfield / Windsor

  • June 18: Juneteenth Parade* at Blue Hills Fire Dept. | 11am
  • June 19: Juneteenth Community Cookout* at Blue Hills Fire Dept. | 2pm – 6pm

*View the Blue Hills Fire Department Calendar for more information


Bridgeport


East Hartford


Enfield


Farmington


Hamden


Hartford


Milford


New Britain

  • June 18: Juneteenth 2022 at New Britain Museum of American Art | 11am - 4pm

New Haven


New London


Norwalk


Old Lyme


Ridgefield


Washington


West Hartford


West Haven


Winsted