How does you and your family celebrate Juneteenth?
How To Celebrate Juneteenth With Your Family and Friends
Now that Juneteenth is officially a federal holiday in the United States, it’s the perfect time to observe Juneteenth as a family.
Juneteenth celebrates the freedom of the last group of enslaved people in the United States. It was announced to the people in Galveston, Texas, on June 19, 1865 – more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation.
On Sesame Street Juneteenth celebrates freedom, kindness, and love. In this spirit, my family enjoys making crafts, attending local festivals, and supporting small Black-owned businesses to honor this celebration of liberation.
Are you looking for ways to honor this holiday with your family and friends? Here are five ways to celebrate Juneteenth with those you love or would like to get to know better.
5 Ways to Celebrate Juneteenth With Family and Friends
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Attend a Local Celebration
Attending a local Juneteenth event is an excellent opportunity to meet other families and build relationships with people from different backgrounds. Check to see if your community is hosting an event. You can also visit your county or city website to see their plans.
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Create Kid-Friendly Arts and Crafts
Have a craft party! You can make a craft stick Juneteenth Pan-African flag. Many people in the Black community celebrate Juneteenth with these colors because they stand for pride and freedom.
Paint red, black and green craft sticks, then glue them to a jumbo craft stick to create the flag. Your family can also make a Juneteenth cardboard flag. The colors are the same as the United States flag because formerly enslaved people and their descendants are also Americans.
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Have an Outdoor Cookout
Just like any holiday, Juneteenth is all about enjoying good food! What is your favorite type of cuisine? Soul food, Caribbean, or Nigerian? Make sure to incorporate red food and drinks like red velvet cake or strawberry soda. It stands for sacrifice from our ancestors and is inspired by popular staples across the diaspora.
Invite your family and friends to the grocery store to go shopping for the cookout. They can count all the items on the list to buy or weigh fruits or vegetables on the scale in the store. Let your child help with decorating or gathering plates and utensils at home.
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Read About Juneteenth
Together, you can learn about Juneteenth and why it is important to celebrate. Take a trip to your local library, order books online, or purchase from a local bookstore like Harriet’s Bookshop in Philadelphia, PA, and Collingswood, NJ.
There are so many books available that discuss Juneteenth or feature Black characters.
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Support a Black-Owned Business
Shopping small is a great way to support your community. Create a list with your child featuring three Black-owned businesses to visit for Juneteenth. Here is a guide for companies around America. Once you make a purchase, snap a picture at the shop or restaurant. Then create a digital scrapbook of your experience.
