On June 19, the Office of DEI Education and Outreach (in collaboration with International Affairs and the MOSAIC & LGBTQ+ Resource Center) hosted a Juneteenth Lunch and Learn for over 40 students, staff and faculty.
Juneteenth (short for “June Nineteenth”), also known as Freedom Day, Emancipation Day and Jubilee Day, is a 155-year-old holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States. Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. It marks the day when federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas in 1865 to take control of the state and ensure that all enslaved people were freed. The troops’ arrival came a full two and a half years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. Learn more about Juneteenth here.
The Lunch and Learn featured traditional Juneteenth food provided by Luchals, a Black-owned business in Colorado Springs. The program focused on the history and traditions of the holiday and the significance of Juneteenth to our Colorado Springs community. It also featured OneBodyEnt, who hosts the citywide Juneteenth Festival, furthering their mission of bringing together people from every background and community for a time of celebration, music and family fun.
To learn more about Juneteenth, or other Heritage Celebrations & Holidays Months, visit the Division of DEI website.