What is the theme for Juneteenth 2024?
Rooted in education, entertainment, and fostering a vibrant and safe environment for the community, this year’s theme, “Jubilee,” marks a joyous celebration of the emancipation of African Americans.
1. Incorporate Juneteenth into the Prayer of the Faithful during Mass.
Parishes can use the following Juneteenth prayer services in its entirety for a Juneteenth celebration or use the intercessory prayers for the Prayer of the Faithful during Mass:
2. Share information about Juneteenth in the bulletin, social media, & displays.
Identify local Juneteenth celebrations scheduled in your area and encourage parishioners to participate:
Washington DC – Abolitionist Museum at the White House by Sheri Bailey, founder of JuneteenthVA – National Juneteenth Observance Foundation – June 19, 2024 at 3:00 PM
Fairfax – Juneteenth | City of Fairfax, VA (fairfaxva.gov)
Virginia Beach – Juneteenth at the Beach | Freedom Festival (juneteenthatb.com)
Norfolk – Festevents :: Juneteenth in the Park
Portsmouth – Juneteenth 2024 Events & Parties In Portsmouth, VA | AllEvents.in
Hampton – Juneteenth Freedom Fest, Mill Point Park, Hampton, 16 June 2024 | AllEvents.in
Richmond – https://allevents.in/richmond/juneteenth
Henrico – Juneteenth 2024 – Henrico County, Virginia
Charlottesville – JUNETEENTH Celebration 2024 – Jefferson School (jeffschoolheritagecenter.org)
Roanoke = 2024 Juneteenth Family Reunion, Eureka Park, Roanoke, 15 June 2024 | AllEvents.in
3. Talk about why this is important to Black Catholics and all Catholics.
Learn about the significance of Juneteenth through the lens of the Catholic faith with the articles below:
Bishop Barry C. Knestout Statement Following the Establishment of Juneteenth as a Federal Holiday
Juneteenth: A Day of Hope by Patrick Saint Jean, S.J., The Jesuit Post
National Black Catholic Congress – NBCC Foundation on LinkedIn: #juneteenth #blackhistory
4. The meaning in the music.
Ask your music director to incorporate African American spirituals into the Liturgy the weekend of June 17/18th, and provide catechesis on the meaning and lyrics of the songs selected.
Songs include:
Go Down Moses (Let My People Go) Louis Armstrong-Go Down Moses – YouTube
Lift Every Voice and Sing. Known as the Black National Anthem, learn the history behind the song: Lift Every Voice and Sing: Lyrics, Meaning & History | PBS
Steal Away The Litchfield Gospel Choir and the history of Steal Away
Learn more about the history and the sacredness of African American Spirituals:
Black Spirituals as Poetry and Resistance by Kaitlyn Greenidge, New York Times, March 5, 2021.
African American Spirituals at the Library of Congress.
5. Read the Emancipation Proclamation as a formation experience.
Place this link to President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation in the parish bulletin and encourage parishioners to read it. Transcript of the Proclamation | National Archives
The Emancipation Oak on the campus of Hampton University. Mrs. Mary Smith Peake taught children of freed slaves who were deemed “contraband of war”. Both women and children were educated for the first time under the famous oak.
Learn more about the Emancipation Oak: More than 300-year-old ‘Emancipation Oak’ at Hampton University serves as living witness to history
6. Host a celebration at your parish with traditional Juneteenth food and beverages.
In planning an event, learn how people of white can be cognizant and respectful in commemorating such an important day in Black American history.
How to properly celebrate Juneteenth in the age of commercialization
Meaning of the Juneteenth Flag, Colors, and Holiday Traditions
7. Hold a voter registration drive.
Contact Jeff Caruso, Executive Director of Virginia Catholic Conference, at jeff@vacatholic.org to request information concerning voter registration drive.
Contact your local voter registration office to learn about any location requirements. See the League of Women Voters site at Planning a Voter Registration Drive | League of Women Voters (lwv.org) for more information.
Virginia Catholics for Racial Justice 