Honoring Juneteenth
A Celebration of Resilience
Dear Companions in Christ,

Grace to you and peace in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. This year in recognition of Juneteenth (Saturday, June 19th) we commend to you the events and resources below in preparation for how you may honor and reflect on the oldest nation-wide holiday celebrating the end of slavery in the United States. We give thanks to all of the individuals, parishes, and ministries of ECCT that have contributed to this compilation. May you find them as enriching and informative as we do.

Faithfully,

The Rt. Rev. Ian T. Douglas
Bishop Diocesan

The Rt. Rev. Laura J. Ahrens
Bishop Suffragan 
A Special Juneteenth Message from the ECCT Reparations Task Force

DID YOU KNOW? Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States.

To understand Juneteenth is to begin to understand the history of this country through the lens of justice or the lack thereof. Two and a half years after President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation, Major General Gordon Granger led a group of Union soldiers to Galveston, Texas to proclaim the end of the Civil War and the enslaved were free. This happened on June 19, 1865. June 19th was coined Juneteenth and continues to be celebrated to this day. (Adapted from Juneteenth.com)

What sticks in your mind about Juneteenth? Answer Here.
Learn more about Juneteenth, its history, and ways to celebrate at the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
Below you will find resources to help you

Celebrate | Pray | Read | Watch | Listen | Follow

We encourage you to engage and explore as we celebrate Juneteenth and keep reading for interesting facts about Juneteenth...
like "what does Strawberry Soda have to do with Juneteenth?" Find out below!
Celebrate
Event Spotlight: 2nd Annual Juneteenth Evening Prayer from St. Luke's, New Haven and Trinity on the Green, New Haven
Thursday, June 17 at 6:30 p.m. via Facebook Live

Join us for a joint service between St. Luke’s, New Haven, and Trinity Church on the Green, New Haven, for Juneteenth, the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. We honor this day, even as we pray for ongoing racial healing, justice, and the liberation of all people. Join the service online.
Events across Connecticut (virtual and in-person)
Northwest

Southwest

North Central

South Central

Northeast

Southeast
For the young (and young at heart)
Did the Emancipation Proclamation free all enslaved people? Hint: The answer isn't what you'd expect! Learn more.
Pray

Liturgies, Confessions, and Prayers:

Devotionals and Spiritual Practices:
For the young (and young at heart)
Prayer for Martin Luther King Jr. of Alabama from Common Prayer for Children and Families

Freedom, yes freedom, let it ring; so sang Martin Luther King. Freedom for you, freedom for me. For all God's children, liberty. Give us the courage to stand up tall; to march for freedom, freedom for all. Freedom, yes freedom, let it ring; so sang Martin Luther King.
What do strawberry soda, red velvet cake, and red punch have to do with Juneteenth? Find out.
Read

Articles:

Books:
  • A Black Women's History of the United States by Daina Ramey Berry 
  • Four Hundred Souls by Ibram X. Kendi and Keisha N. Blain
  • Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
  • I’m Still Here by Austin Channing Brown
  • Envisioning Emancipation: Black Americans and the End of Slavery by Deborah Willis
Children's Books:
  • Juneteenth for Mazie by Floyd Cooper
  • Juneteenth Jamboree by Carole Boston Weatherford
  • Freedom's Gifts by Valerie Wilson Wesley
Juneteenth has its own flag! The red, white, and blue colors are intentional and show the former enslaved and their ancestors are free Americans! Learn more about the rest of the symbols on the flag.
Watch

Feature-length Films and TV Series:

Documentaries:
Children's Videos:
The land for Emancipation Park in Houston was purchased in 1872 by the black community and became primary space for celebrating Juneteenth. Learn more.
Listen

Podcasts:

Music:
Juneteenth has gone by many names Freedom Day, Jubilee Day, Liberation Day, and Emancipation Day.
Follow

Facebook:

Twitter:

Instagram:
A excerpt from "On Juneteenth" by Annette Gordon-Reed
Read by St. Luke's, New Haven & Trinity on the Green, New Haven