African American Museum of Iowa | www.blackiowa.org
Happy Juneteenth! We've been celebrating all week, but today is the official anniversary of the day in 1865 when Union soldiers brought news of the Emancipation Proclamation to the last enslaved people in Galveston, Texas. This holiday is a day for both celebration and reflection. We hope that you will join us by visiting our website and following our Facebook event to see the latest videos and activities in our virtual celebration. Share how you're marking this important holiday by tagging us in your social posts and using #JuneteenthAtHome.
The 2020 Virtual Juneteenth Event is Sponsored By
Introduction | A Message from Executive Director LaNisha Cassell
Join us for a trivia event tonight at 7 PM. We have gift basket with local items donated by Cedar Rapids Tourism to give to the winning team. Registration closes 15 minutes before the start of the event. Visit our website to learn more.
Share photos of you rocking your Juneteenth shirt by tagging @BlackIowa and using #JuneteenthAtHome! If you haven't purchased a shirt, you can get one here through Sunday, June 21.
Already have your Juneteenth shirt? Take a look at our black hair shirts! Multiple styles and colors are available, as well as tote bags. Click here to purchase.
Upcoming Event | Art Creation in Defense of Black Lives
With the death of George Floyd and the upheaval in the country in the past few weeks, the AAMI has created this event to offer the community a chance to honor Black lives and promote activism through art. Local Iowa art activists, Donté Hayes and Savannah Simmons, will be on hand to guide visitors in creating two collaborative murals as well as make and take pieces. The AAMI will provide supplies and a safe space for visitors to freely express themselves. This event will also act as a lead up to our next exhibit “Unwavering 21st Century Activism” which opens in September 2020. Artwork created at the event can be donated to the AAMI to be shown in the exhibit.
National News | Bill Introduced to Make Juneteenth a Federal Holiday
Senate Democrats introduce bill to make Juneteenth a...

WASHINGTON - Senate Democrats on Friday introduced legislation to make Juneteenth, a widely observed holiday that marks the federal order to free slaves in Texas on June 19, 1865, a national holiday.

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www.nbcnews.com
AAMI In the News |Local and National
African American Museum plans exhibit on protests,...

For many Black Lives Matter activists in Iowa, there is a feeling of being a part of historic change. At a recent rally in Cedar Rapids, Kentrell Petties said he joined the throng because he wanted to be a part of something that would make future ...

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www.radioiowa.com
America's protests are making history. Museums are...

Museums can often be slow to respond to current events, a benefit for a vocation that's focused more on the past than the present. But amid the ongoing protests against police violence and systemic racism, institutions nationwide are recognizing...

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www.washingtonpost.com
Iowa Juneteenth celebrations go virtual because of...

Iowans are taking a new spin on celebrating and commemorating Juneteenth, the oldest known celebration of the end of slavery in the United States. Juneteenth celebrations this year will be taking place virtually for both the African American...

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www.thegazette.com
Juneteenth to have greater impact this year amid...

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) - June 19, or Juneteenth, is a holiday commemorating the day the last slaves in Confederate states were told they were free in Texas in 1865, more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation...

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www.kcrg.com
Cedar Rapids Juneteenth celebrations go virtual

The Juneteenth celebrations in Cedar Rapids are cancelled due to COVID-19, but the African American Museum of Iowa is bringing the weeklong celebration to your screens starting June 15. Friday, June 19, is known as Juneteenth. It marks the end of ...

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cbs2iowa.com