The back of a jacket sends a message during the 2nd Annual Juneteenth celebration at the Breslin Student Events Center on June 17, 2022.
Juneteenth is a time when a sense of community is represented among Black Americans. It's a holiday honoring the freedom of slaves in the United States.
The holiday originated in Texas on June 19, 1865 after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued a few years earlier. The Union Army arrived and announced the remaining slaves were set free by order of then President Abraham Lincoln.
Michigan State University kinesiology senior Derrielle Lee said she never knew about Juneteenth until it became a federal holiday in 2021.
“It makes you think how dark American education is because (we) learned about African Americans (history) and how we were slaves and things like that,” Lee said. “But (school) don’t tell you about this type of stuff… (it’s) the important things they leave out.”
Lee said she took an African World studies course and learned more in-depth history of African culture. Because of the course, she said she's passionate to learn more about her ancestors’ history.
Lee said she is motivated to achieve her dreams because of her appreciation of Juneteenth.
She said her family made plans to cook plantains and watch documentaries to educate themselves about the holiday. She said people should spread the word about Juneteenth on social media.
"I think that's just the important piece is educating people," Lee said.
Lee said MSU does a great job of acknowledging the Black community during Black History Month. She said she enjoyed eating familiar cultural food at the dining halls.
Social relations and policy senior Devin Roberts said Juneteenth gives the opportunity to Black people from all African descendants to stand out proudly.
“(Juneteenth) is about finding what home is to you and thinking that’s the best place to be,” Roberts said.
Roberts said that he appreciates MSU's recognition of the holiday. He said a friend of his attended MSU’s third annual Juneteenth Celebration on June 16 and met important Black leaders during the event.
Roberts is a member of the MSU Black Student Alliance, or BSA. He and the BSA president, kinesiology senior Ty’Rianna Leslie, have an agenda for the Black student body at MSU
Leslie said the group's goal for the upcoming year is to give more advocacy and support to students. She said she wants to get many Black student organizations involved.
“The name of our board this year is S.O.U.L and it means ‘Solidifying Our Unified Legacy,'” Leslie said. “So, we really are sticking to that this year and we really (want) to go back to our roots.”
Support student media! Please consider donating to The State News and help fund the future of journalism.
