Celebrating Juneteenth
Denny Civic Solutions stands in solidarity with our Black community on this Juneteenth holiday. This day commemorates the issuance of a proclamation in Galveston, Texas that the 250,000 enslaved men, women, and children of Texas were finally freed on June 19, 1865 (more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 and two months after the surrender of Lee in April of 1865).
Juneteenth is a day of commemoration for the men and women who resisted in the face of enslavement and who found freedom on this day 155 years ago. These brave men and women would continue to resist to maintain their freedoms as new systems of repression would find their way back. To remember their work, actions, and dedication to freedom, we celebrate this day.
Some things we can all do today to commemorate Juneteenth:
Learn more about the history of Juneteenth (and more ways to celebrate): https://www.juneteenth.com/history.htm
Support Pittsburgh’s Black-owned businesses: https://goodfoodpittsburgh.com/black-owned-businesses-and-restaurants-you-can-support-in-pittsburgh/
Donate to anti-racism organizations in Pittsburgh: PGH Freedom Fund (https://venmo.com/PGH-Freedomfund), 1Hood Media, Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh, SisTers Pgh, and many others
Purchase books by Black authors (tomorrow is the last day of the #BlackoutBestSellerList effort). The NY public library has a good list: https://www.nypl.org/blog/2020/06/09/schomburg-center-black-liberation-reading-list (these include both books that are explicit deconstructions of racism AND books that center Black joy and everyday life...for Pittsburghers, we especially recommend “What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Blacker” by Damon Young).
Tune in and donate to support virtual events, including the National Black Queer Town Hall happening tonight at 6:30 (https://www.gofundme.com/f/blackqueertownhall) or Pittsburgh’s the White Whale Bookstore’s conversation with authors Damon Young and Deeshaw Philyaw tonight at 7 (http://whitewhalebookstore.com/events)