Juneteenth
Learning About Juneteenth at SF Ballet
Juneteenth is a day of remembrance commemorating the end of slavery in the United States in 1865. On June 19, 1865, two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation, enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas, finally learned they were free and that the Civil War had ended.
At San Francisco Ballet, we are making a conscious effort to learn more about the history of our country and how specific events such as Juneteenth played a role in forming the America we know today. To help us gain a better understanding of the true significance of Juneteenth, we invited Dr. Tony Van Der Meer, Senior Lecturer II in Africana Studies at the University of Massachusetts in Boston, to speak to employees.
Leadership of (G)radiant, SF Ballet’s BIPOC, and allies Employee Resource Group, assembled a list of resources that offer more information about Juneteenth.
RESOURCES
What is Juneteenth? Wikipedia
Why is Juneteenth important? National Museum of African American History & Culture
What do the Juneteenth flag colors and symbols represent? Breaking down the Juneteenth flag and its symbols KTLA
What is Juneteenth? History behind holiday celebrating the end of slavery ABC7 News Bay Area
Why all Americans should honor Juneteenth Vox
What Juneteenth tells us about the value of Black life in America? Washington Post
What happened to “40 Acres and a Mule”? Land: Giving Rise to the Famous Phrase 40 Acres & a Mule Black History in Two Minutes or so
Other Important Links
Galveston History – Juneteenth
National Museum of African American History & Culture
Books on Juneteenth
On Juneteenth by Annette Gordon-Reed
Juneteenth by Ralph Ellison
Movies
SF Ballet Backstage
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