The virtual events include a poetry performance, meditations, discussions, music and more.
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It’s Friday.
Weather: Patchy fog in the morning followed by heavy rain. Temperatures will be in the low 80s. Expect periods of rain over the weekend.
Alternate-side parking: Suspended through Sunday.
The energy that has produced large demonstrations supporting Black Lives Matter in New York and other cities will most likely be heightened this Juneteenth, the annual holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States
Some people, however, may still be unaware of why the day is significant. Slavery in the United States was, technically, abolished in 1863, but it wasn’t until June 19,1865, that enslaved Americans in Texas were told by a Union general that they were, in fact, free.
[So you want to learn about Juneteenth?]
This year, the date may resonate in new ways. On Wednesday, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo declared it a holiday for state employees. Several businesses have also announced that June 19 will be a paid holiday for their workers.
But the recent rush to embrace the holiday is also raising questions about what is motivating the change, and what it will accomplish.
“It’s been very clear from the uprisings that so many white Americans want equality quickly so that the unrest can go away,” said Dr. Christina Greer, an associate professor of political science at Fordham University.
“Because so many corporations have jumped on board, and so quickly, I’m feeling that it is more about their bottom line than a real deeper understanding of the systemic inequities that have existed for 401 years.”
At 6 p.m., Dr. Greer will join celebrities, activists and others for a Juneteenth Live! event on The Grio’s Facebook page.
Other virtual events marking the holiday include:
New York City Will Enter Next Phase of Reopening on Monday, Mayor Says
Council Forces N. Y. P. D. to Disclose Use of Drones and Other Spy Tech
Will the Pandemic Slow New York’s Progressive Momentum?
Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center Cancel Fall Performances
The Pandemic Sent Young New Yorkers Packing.
