Things We Saw Today: Juneteenth Is Filled With Marches, Music, and More Around the US

Juneteenth celebrations across the United States are being centered around music, marches, and more as many honor the history of the holiday. Due to the worldwide spread of Black Lives Matter protests and the racial injustices still so prevalent in America, Juneteenth this year is massively visible.

While the day, sometimes also referred to as “Freedom Day” and “Emancipation Day,” has been celebrated by African-Americans since the 1800s, Juneteenth’s history was not often taught in schools. This must change going forward. The events of recent weeks have cemented Juneteenth in the public consciousness and brought a long-overdue spotlight to the historic day in 1865 when slaves in remote Galveston, Texas were told that they were free.

We gathered together some of the Juneteenth sights we saw from the Internet to further spread awareness and focus on how the day is being commemorated.

Here’s Astronomy Club teaching Jimmy Fallon all about it on The Tonight Show so you can help yourself be informed.

.@ClubAstronomy prepares for their virtual Juneteenth BBQ before Jimmy stops in to learn more about what the holiday represents https://t.co/tAFQzpIiw3 #FallonAtHome pic.twitter.com/M91nQ2iJM6

— The Tonight Show (@FallonTonight) June 19, 2020

As many of us are educating ourselves, and others are sharing their knowledge, we get to see the marches and public outpourings happening in real-time. All day, people have taken to Twitter to share footage and statements, and to make pledges for the future.

This #Juneteenth, let’s all pledge to keep using our voices—and our votes—to keep marching toward freedom.pic.twitter.com/I510X0HCKe

— Michelle Obama (@MichelleObama) June 19, 2020

The masses at the Port of Oakland begin to move out, marching toward Oakland City Hall as the Juneteenth rally continues. Live video: https://t.co/f4kI1BByVf pic.twitter.com/Ky3xUQ1JSG

— NBC Bay Area (@nbcbayarea) June 19, 2020

Angela Davis addressing the Port shutdown crowd in Oakland pic.twitter.com/wZvbCX9Shd

— Amir Aziz (@aziaticblack) June 19, 2020

Images of #GeorgeFloyd leading the charge at Chicago’s Juneteenth march.

We’ll have a live report about celebrations nationwide on @CBSEveningNews with @NorahODonnell pic.twitter.com/XvM21FInKN

— Adriana Diaz (@adrianasdiaz) June 19, 2020

Leaders have assembled at the start of the faith community-led #Juneteenth march in Chicago’s iconic Grant Park pic.twitter.com/1X5xe5LKfd

— Emily McFarlan Miller (@emmillerwrites) June 19, 2020

Wendell Carter Jr., Jim Boylen, assistant coaches Nate Loenser and Karen Stack Umlauf, and other Bulls staff join peaceful Juneteenth march through Grant Park organized by Faith in Justice and Peace (FIJAP) pic.twitter.com/e4AMsxed9T

— Rob Schaefer (@rob_schaef) June 19, 2020

Shortly after noon today in Malcolm X Park, West Philly, black men participating in a Brotherly Love Juneteenth March release out a roar of pain so they can get out their fear and self-doubt and help the community. pic.twitter.com/4pH9JAV0uL

— Julie Shaw (@julieshawphilly) June 19, 2020

Silent march from 125th in Harlem to the Seneca village site in Central Park #juneteenth #marchtoseneca #nycprotests pic.twitter.com/vl40gTrzK1

— Kayla Ruble (@RubleKB) June 19, 2020

#NewYorkers commemorate #Juneteenth with march to City Hall

LIVE: https://t.co/A1RbVgYZEA pic.twitter.com/wdmP1OvNfa

— Ruptly (@Ruptly) June 19, 2020

Freedom March pic.twitter.com/oThxOiwDII

— jenny gathright (@jennygathright) June 19, 2020

What sights in honor of Juneteenth did you see today?

(image: Justin Merriman/Getty Images)

Here are some other things we saw out there today:

The evil is defeated. Katie Hopkins’ Twitter is permanently deleted. (via Mirror)
Facebook deletes a Trump ad that has symbols used by Nazis in it. His campaign called them “emojis.” (via NPR)
Baby Driver but Christopher Plummer replaces Ansel Elgort and Kevin Spacey pic.twitter.com/wxnOyBeLhs

— Ebenezer (@EbbyBhaskaran) June 19, 2020
Now John Cleese decided to give us an opinion on the Rowling controversy that no one asked for. (via Yahoo! News)
Jodie, a spin-off of Daria, finds a home at Comedy Central! (via CBR)