juneteenth
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Jeff Bezos Says Black Lives Matter, but Will He Make a Meaningful Stand for Black Amazon Employees?
If you look at allyship as some sort of contest, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has been eager to put some points on the board. He’s done this mostly through highly publicized, “spicy” responses to racist customers, and by canceling his meetings on Juneteenth and encouraging other employees “to do the same if you can.” But…
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Pharrell Williams, Kenya Barris to Reportedly Develop Juneteenth Musical for Netflix
Kenya Barris and Pharrell Williams are in the developmental stages of a full-fledged Juneteenth musical, which will have a home on Netflix. Per Deadline, the collaboration is hush-hush for now, however, the site’s sources say that this Juneteenth musical is different from the one they initially announced back in 2018. “Williams will produce this project…
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Crowd Pulls Down Confederate Statue in Washington, D.C. on Juneteenth
Protestors in the nation’s capital ended Juneteenth on an appropriate note yesterday by toppling the statue of a Confederate general. A statue of Albert Pike—a senior officer in the Confederate army—erected near Judiciary Square in Washington D.C. in 1901 was the only outdoor memorial to a treasonous loser that existed in the District, according to…
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Beyoncé Drops New Song 'Black Parade,' Lifts Up Black-Owned Businesses on Juneteenth
Juneteenth, the holiday recognizing the end of slavery in the U.S., was marked by widespread celebrations across the country yesterday—bringing a bright spot of joy in a year that’s left the Black community experiencing more than its fair share of sorrow. Beyoncé helped make the day a special one by releasing a new song “Black…
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Democratic Senators Will Introduce Legislation to Make Juneteenth a Federal Holiday
Happy Juneteenth, everybody! And what a special Juneteenth it is. This year, our holiday commemorating the end of slavery is happening right in the middle of a time when the Black Lives Matter movement is receiving the most widespread attention and support, possibly, since its inception. Now, four Democratic senators are introducing legislation that would make…
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VSB Dads Share Their Father's Day Wish Lists. We Thank You In Advance
Father’s Day is upon us and even before COVID-19, the sock aisles at your favorite retailers (that also sold groceries!) were probably almost bare, but now they are probably empty. Socks and ties are the Father’s Day staples near and far, to and fro. But is that what the father in your life really wants…
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The Root's Clapback Mailbag: Juneteenth Edition
I have a dilemma: I want to celebrate Juneteenth by socially distancing myself from wypipo but they won’t let me. So, today’s Clapback Mailbag is dedicated to all the white people who would have been slave masters if it wasn’t for emancipation. For Juneteenth, we have a very special “but what about black-on-black crime?” letter. …
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An Exclusive Interview With an Organizer of the Original Juneteenth Cookout
On June 18, 1865, Union Army General Gordon Granger and 2,000 troops, many of whom were black, arrived at Galveston Island to occupy the state of Texas after the last army of white supremacist army of the Confederacy surrendered. The black soldiers started spreading the word to nearby enslaved Africans that something big was going…
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The Root Jams Weekly (6/19/2020): 'Juneteenth'
June 19, known as Juneteenth in the black community represents the day that the word about the end of slavery finally reached Galveston, Texas, which at the time was the furthest part of the United States. Today, we celebrate the holiday by sharing our favorite jams in the spirit of Juneteenth, freedom and blackness. “Juneteenth”…
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John Legend’s Bigger Love Wraps Black Joy, Nostaglia and More in a Pleasing Bow
John Legend’s latest musical offering Bigger Love couldn’t have come at a better time. The EGOT-winner’s 16-song album, which officially drops today, invokes the timelessness of his debut, 2004’s Get Lifted, with an updated flair fitting the vein of 2020’s versatile musical landscape. The 41-year-old says Bigger Love is a “celebration of love, joy, hope…