A survey posted on Kent State Today asked the Kent State University community, “What Does Juneteenth Mean to You?” and invited readers to share their thoughts about anything from traditional celebrations to annual reflections of the holiday.
Responses from Kent State students and staff ranged from knowing very little to knowing the celebration’s complete history. “I was aware of Juneteenth before it was a holiday,” said one respondent. “Juneteenth has been discussed and taught in most Black communities in America.”
Another person wrote, “I knew that Juneteenth symbolized the star[t] of a new life for some enslaved Black people, but not all.”
Very personal celebrations
Some of the people responding to the survey wrote that they participated in community celebrations, such as festivals in which community leaders are recognized, history is presented, and vendors sell merchandise or prepare traditional African American cuisine. Some respondents, previously unfamiliar with the holiday, found events like these to be welcome opportunities to learn as showcases of history, art and culture with interesting, new foods to enjoy.
Others have family gatherings and cookouts or personal gatherings. “My grandparents were married on June 19, 1942,” one person wrote. “While they are no longer with us, my family finds a way to honor their memory every year. This year, we will host a family reunion in their honor on Juneteenth weekend.”
Some respondents wrote that they appreciated having a day off, but also recognized that it was an opportunity to learn about the history of the holiday and reflect on what individuals can do to help make “this a better country for all of us to live in, together.”
The history of Juneteenth
Established as a federal holiday in 2021, Juneteenth celebrates the courage and perseverance of Black Americans by observing the end of slavery in the United States and commemorates the day when the news of emancipation reached enslaved Black Americans in Texas. On June 19, when the holiday is observed nationally, no classes are scheduled at Kent State, and university offices are closed.
Kent State's third annual Juneteenth Jubilee will take place from 4-6:30 p.m. on Friday, June 16, on Manchester Field, which is the large green space between the Kent Student Center and Eastway Center on the Kent Campus. The event is free and open to the public.
From left: Lashonda Taylor, Ed.D., associate chief of staff in Kent State's Office of the President; Amoaba Gooden, Ph.D., Kent State’s vice president for diversity, equity and inclusion; Moema Furtado; and her spouse, Todd Diacon, Ph.D., president, Kent State University
A 'necessary' and important holiday
A staff member shared that their parents were from the south and shared stories about their time there before moving to Ohio. She was sad that her father died before he was able to see Juneteenth made a national holiday and that her mother was only able to celebrate it once before she passed.
The observance is deeply important to her. “Juneteenth is necessary for the culture and the country to heal some of the wounds left behind from slavery. Slavery ended physically, but the scars remain mentally and emotionally for so many. The generation that actually lived in those times is dying as another generation is raising the new. I hope this National Holiday reminds the Black community to have pride in the small victories in order to make change possible.”
One person wrote: “As a child, it was simply a date referenced in my textbook. Today, I understand that Juneteenth is symbolic of a lifetime of struggle, resilience, and the enduring pursuit of freedom and equality.”