Latest in Juneteenth

A number of networks, streamers and platforms have programming planned to celebrate Juneteenth National Independence Day, the federal holiday that commemorates the ending of slavery in the U.S. From specials to live events and specially curated movies, Juneteenth programming begins Tuesday and…

Vice President Kamala Harris danced on stage with Kirk Franklin during a performance of Smile, as the White House held its second annual Juneteenth Concert. The lineup included Gladys Knight, Patina Miller, Trombone Shorty, Doug E. Fresh, Raheem DeVaughn, Anthony Hamilton, Brittney Spencer, Patti…

Editor’s Note: On June 22, 2020, veteran editor and Sunwise Media co-founder Ri-Karlo Handy penned a guest column for Deadline on the wide ranging response to his social media call for Black union editors just days beforehand. As Americans took to the streets after the killings of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd to dem…

Stacey Abrams hinted at future political office (no surprise) defended a compromise on the voting rights bill "because we need to make progress" and said of Juneteeth: "It's important that we remember that this isn't a celebration about the end of slavery alone, it is about justice delayed and nearly denied." "I say…

Editors note: Actor Dwayne Barnes writes occasional columns here at Deadline and today he confronts his mixed feelings that come with the official holiday status of Juneteenth. Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863. It stated that all enslaved people in the Confederate states “Shall…

On the day that America officially recognizes Juneteenth for the first time as a federal holiday, A Black Lady Sketch Show's Robin Thede made it very clear that she has no time for whiners, and that Hollywood shouldn't be so quick to pat itself on the back while there is still a very long way to go when it comes to…

President Joe Biden signed a bill Thursday that makes Juneteenth a federal holiday, with plans for the government workforce to observe the new holiday Friday. The event was carried on cable news and broadcast networks. The holiday commemorates African Americans’ freedom from slavery, and has long been observed in…

Even before President Biden signed a bill into law making Juneteenth a federal holiday, networks and streamers were setting special programming for the holiday commemorating the emancipation of those who had been enslaved in the United States. More specifically, Juneteenth marks the enforcement of the Emancipation…

UPDATED with latest: The White House has announced tonight that President Joe Biden will on Thursday sign the bill passed today in Congress that will make Juneteenth a federal holiday. When the White House Press Office sent its daily guidance for Thursday to media late today, it included the following: “3:30 p.m.: THE…

AMC Entertainment will present a weeklong AMC Black Picture Showcase at select theaters nationwide starting Friday to celebrate Juneteenth. The newly established national holiday commemorates the abolishment of slavery in the U.S. The exhibitor said tickets will cost $5 to shows of "classic, contemporary and…

The lyrics "Don't call it a comeback/I've been here for years" from 1990's hard hitting Mama Said Knock You Out album are rolled out almost every time LL COOL J gets in the cultural ring. A cliché perhaps, but with the recent TKO of his Black Live Matter freestyle, the hip-hop legend and NCIS: LA star has once again…

Eight-time Grammy winner Usher Raymond penned an impassioned and informative essay in the Washington Post today arguing that, while the Fourth of July should be celebrated, for black people “Juneteenth is our authentic day of self-determination. It is ours to honor the legacy of our ancestors, ours to celebrate and…