Q&A

What Is Juneteenth, and How Do You Celebrate and Observe the Day?

For the second year in a row, Columbia is marking Juneteenth for our community. But how to observe the day? Columbians lend us their insight.

June 11, 2021

June 19, or Juneteenth, which is also known as Liberation Day or Emancipation Day, will be marked by the Columbia community with a day off on Friday, June 18, for all students, faculty, and staff. 

Although the holiday has been celebrated in parts of the United States since the late 1800s, if you are unfamiliar with the holiday, you are not alone. Now’s the time to pull up and dig in to better understand the history, importance, and, yes, joy, of Juneteenth. Columbia News enlisted faculty, staff, and students from across the university to answer some of your questions about this momentous holiday. 

Watch the full documentary above as faculty, students, and staff share their personal connections to Juneteenth and place the holiday into historical context. Or listen to clips below to understand why this day is so important. 

What Is Juneteenth?

Featuring:

  • Stephanie McCurry, R. Gordon Hoxie Professor of American History in Honor of Dwight D. Eisenhower
  • Frank Guridy, Associate Professor of History and African American and African Diaspora Studies

What Is the Mood of This Holiday?

Featuring:

  • Karma Lowe, Associate Dean of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Community Engagement, School of Social Work
  • Samuel Roberts, Associate Professor of History, Sociomedical Sciences, and African American and African Diaspora Studies
  • Ixchel Rosal, Associate Vice President for Student Life, Office of University Life

How Do You Recognize and Celebrate Juneteenth?

Featuring:

  • Colby King, CC’22, African American and African Diaspora Studies and Psychology

Why Is It Important to Honor this Day?

Featuring:

  • Stephanie McCurry, R. Gordon Hoxie Professor of American History in Honor of Dwight D. Eisenhower

How Should Columbians Mark the Day?

Featuring:

  • Bérénice Sylverain, GS’21, African American and African Diaspora Studies
  • Ixchel Rosal, Associate Vice President for Student Life, Office of University Life
  • Karma Lowe, Associate Dean of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Community Engagement, School of Social Work
Tags
Social Justice Columbia People History