Jackson Community Church

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Juneteenth

Today is Juneteenth—a day that commemorates the delayed arrival of freedom. On June 19, 1865, two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed, the final enslaved Black Americans in Galveston, Texas, were told they were free. — Cameron Trimble

Juneteenth in NH:

Thursday, June 19:

  • Juneteenth Freedom Walk on Thursday, June 19, at 9:30 a.m. The 0.8-mile walk will begin at John Paul Jones Memorial Park in Kittery and end at the African Burying Ground Memorial Park in Portsmouth. More details. (Free)
  • A Drumbeat for Spiritual Renewal on Thursday, June 19, at 11 a.m. at the African Burying Ground Memorial Park in Portsmouth. This celebration will include dance, speeches and other tributes to mark the 10th anniversary of the park. More details. (Free)
  • A Community Gathering of Reflection, Freedom, and Connection on Thursday, June 19, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Camp Hale in Sandwich. More details. (Free)
  • Celebrate Juneteenth at Art Off the Walls on Thursday, June 19, from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Currier Museum of Art in Manchester. The latest edition of this monthly community event will include music, gallery talks and refreshments. More details. (Free)
  • Juneteenth Celebration on Thursday, June 19, at 5 p.m. at Keene’s Central Square. Hosted by the City of Keene Human Rights Committee, Keene Family YMCA and W.S. Badger Company. This event will feature a musical performance by Crys Matthews. More details. (Free)
  • Slam Free or Die Presents: Juneteenth Showcase! From 7 to 11 p.m. on Thursday, June 19, at Stark Brewing Company in Manchester. Tickets are on a sliding scale, from $3 to $5. More details.

Saturday, June 21:

  • Juneteenth New England on Saturday, June 21, from 1 to 5 p.m. at Crossway Christian Church – Downtown Campus in Nashua. This event will include line dancing, games, food and other activities for all ages. More details. (Free)
  • Lebanon, Bethel, and Hartford Juneteenth Celebration from 2 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, June 21, at Lyman Point Park in White River Junction, Vermont. The community celebration will include music, food, activities and speeches by officials from across the Upper Valley. More details. (Free)

SONGS for JUNETEENTH:

Fury & Faith —  Amanda Gorman

You will be told this is not a problem,
Not your problem.
You will be told now is not the time
For change to begin,
Told that we cannot win.

But the point of protest isn’t winning;
It’s holding fast to the promise of freedom,
Even when fast victory is not promised.

Meaning, we cannot stand up to police
If we cannot cease policing our imagination,
Convincing our communities that this won’t work,
When the work hasn’t even begun,
That this can wait,
When we’ve already waited out a thousand suns.
By now, we understand
That white supremacy
& the despair it demands
Are as destructive as any disease.

So when you’re told that your rage is reactionary,
Remind yourself that rage is our right.
It teaches us it is time to fight.
In the face of injustice,
Not only is anger natural, but necessary,
Because it helps carry us to our destination.

Our goal is never revenge, just restoration.
Not dominace, just dignity.
Not fear, just freedom.
Just justice.

Whether we prevail is not detemined
By all the challenges that are present,
But by all the change that is possible.

& though we are unstoppable,
If we ever feel we might fail,
If we be fatigued & frail,
When our fire can no longer be fueled by fury,
We will always be fortified by this faith,
Found in the anthem, the vow:

Black lives matter,
No matter what.
Black lives are worth living,
Worth defending,
Worth every struggle.
We owe it to the fallen to fight,
But we owe it to ourselves to never stay kneeling
When the day calls us to stand.

Together, we envision a land that is liberated, not lawless.
We create a future that is free, not flawless.
Again & again, over & over,
We will stride up every mountainside,
Magnanimous & modest.
We will be protected & served
By a force that is honored & honest.
This is more than protest
It’s a promise.

Articles and information about Juneteenth:

Statement from NH UCC’s Racial Justice Group:

Our Purpose in Celebrating Juneteenth in New Hampshire is based upon our desire for greater visibility, education, and alliance in a state and geographic region that is historically perceived as demographically white. This misperception is perpetuated through the mainstream and local media; socially, culturally, and politically governed institutions; and lack of cultural awareness manifested in expressions of implicit bias. On Wednesday, June 19, 2019, Governor Chris Sununu signed a bill proclaiming an annual observance Juneteenth as an officially recognized state holiday. This act ended many decades of oversight.
       Juneteenth Commemorates the End of Slavery and the Beginning of a Journey into Freedom – It recalls how the states of Louisiana and Texas heard that President Abraham Lincoln had signed the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863. Slavery continued in those two states for more than two years after the proclamation was signed due to active resistance. News of Emancipation had not been fully shared until June 19, 1865. Hence this is the origin of the Juneteenth holiday which is still celebrated in many communities of African American descent. Americans, this is our collective history and a narrative that deserves to be shared. Remember that in NH, slaves were not legally freed until the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, though many NH people fought on the side of the Union. NH was not a free state.
      The truth is that people of African heritage have always been part of New Hampshire history. The narrative of enslaved African people and their descendants is far too often untold and denied. We appreciate the ongoing efforts of our allies to preserve these stories. We embrace Juneteenth as an opportunity to request that EVERYONE participate and join us in celebration for the whole month of June.

Juneteenth
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