Juneteenth History
The name "Juneteenth" is a combination, or portmanteau, of these two specific calendar words.
What are June and Nineteenth?
This iconic Black trans woman, drag queen, and activist was a central figure in the 1969 Stonewall Uprising and famously said her middle initial stood for "Pay It No Mind".
Who is Marsha P. Johnson?
This video-sharing platform revolutionized modern digital marketing and music streaming charts when viral dances and trends created by young Black creators—like Jalaiah Harmon's "Renegade"—became a central focus for major brand campaigns.
What is TikTok?
Widely considered the greatest gymnast of all time, this athletic powerhouse holds the record for the most Olympic medals won by an American gymnast.
Who is Simone Biles?
Often called the "Queen of Soul," she was the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Who is Aretha Franklin?
This southwestern state is where the historical events of the very first Juneteenth took place in 1865.
What is Texas?
This self-described "Black, lesbian, mother, warrior, poet" famously challenged the literary and activist worlds with her groundbreaking essays and books like Sister Outsider.
Who is Audre Lorde?
In 2020, this hip-hop artist shattered digital marketing records by hosting a live, animated concert inside the video game Fortnite, drawing over 12 million concurrent players and pioneering the modern concept of virtual brand experiences.
Who is Travis Scott?
Long before the era of modern supermarkets, this engineer revolutionized the food industry by patenting the first automatic, mobile refrigeration system for long-haul trucks in 1942.
Who is Frederick McKinley Jones?
The 1920s cultural, social, and artistic explosion in New York City brought Black literature, music, and art to the global stage
What is The Harlem Renaissance?
Traditional Juneteenth celebrations prominently feature foods and drinks of this color, symbolizing resilience, sacrifice, and strength.
What is red?
Originating in Harlem as early as the late 19th century and exploding in the 1980s, this underground LGBTQIA+ subculture created by Black and Latinx youth introduced competitive "voguing," runway categories, and "Houses" to the world.
What is Ballroom Culture?
Known as the "Father of Black Advertising." In 1971, his Chicago agency created the "Real Men" campaign for Miller Lite and later became the first Black-owned agency to handle a major national assignment for Coca-Cola.
Who is Tom Burrell?
The first African American woman to win three gold medals in track and field at a single Olympic Games (1960)
Who is Wilma Rudolph?
Emerging from the 1980s New York graffiti scene, this Neo-Expressionist artist became a global art icon, famously known for his raw, text-heavy paintings that frequently featured a signature three-pointed crown.
Who is Jean-Michel Basquiat?
Before it was widely known as Juneteenth, early celebrations in the late 19th century frequently called the holiday by two other names.
What is Emancipation Day and Freedom Day?
An openly gay African American advisor to Martin Luther King Jr., he was a key organizer behind the historic 1963 March on Washington.
Who is Bayard Rustin?
In the 1970s, this trailblazing Black creative director at Leo Burnett shattered corporate barriers and coined the iconic, empowering tagline for Secret antiperspirant: "Strong enough for a man, but made for a woman."
Who is Carol H. Williams?
In 1956, this athlete shattered racial barriers to become the very first African American player to win a Grand Slam tennis title at the French Championships.
Who is Althea Gibson?
In 1958, this pioneering dancer and choreographer founded a world-renowned, multi-racial modern dance company in New York City, creating Revelations, which became the most watched modern dance work in history.
Who is Alvin Ailey?
In 2016, at 89 years old, this activist began a symbolic walking campaign from her Fort Worth home to Washington, D.C. to get Juneteenth declared a national holiday.
Who is Opal Lee?
This Black queer civil rights activist, lawyer, and Episcopal priest co-founded the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) and wrote Proud Shoes, a foundational text on race and identity.
Who is Pauli Murray?
This computer scientist and engineer holds 3 of IBM’s original 9 patents for the personal computer, including the architecture that allowed keyboards, mice, and printers to plug directly into the PC.
Who is Dr. Mark Dean?
In 1966, this Black nurse and inventor patented the world's very first home security system, comprised of peepholes, a camera, monitors, and a two-way microphone.
Who is Marie Van Brittan Brown?
Noted abolitionist who opened the nation's first ever Black-owned bookstore in NYC in 1834
Who is David Ruggles?