JUMP TO Section Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options.- Here are five ways to celebrate Juneteenth this year
- Buy from Black-owned businesses
- Read books by Black authors about Black experiences
- Eat at Black-owned restaurants
- Donate to organizations that support Black communities
- Visit US destinations to learn more about Black history
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Juneteenth, or June 19, commemorates the last enslaved African Americans being freed from slavery in 1865. The holiday is commonly celebrated in the Southern US and has grown in observance countrywide over the last few years. This year, the holiday falls on a Sunday, leaving endless possibilities for celebrating and commemorating the day.
Although the Emancipation Proclamation ended slavery in 1863, it would take two more years for this news to reach the deepest parts of the South. Finally, on June 19, 1865, Union army soldiers reached Gavelston, Texas, and announced the end of slavery, thus beginning the celebration of Juneteenth. "The significance of Juneteenth is that freedom came but it took the Emancipation Proclamation, it took a Civil War, and it also took the 13th Amendment to free everybody," said Mary Elliott, a curator of American slavery at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.
The first recorded celebrations of Juneteenth took place around 1867, and the holiday was originally celebrated among communities in Galveston, Austin, and Houston in Texas, and in other southern states through parades, prayer, and other festivities. However, as time has passed the holiday has become more popular and widely celebrated.
With many companies making Juneteenth an official company holiday and at least 45 states officially recognizing the holiday, it's become more important than ever that we learn how to celebrate it in a way that truly honors its history.
"The thing that's important is thinking about Juneteenth as a celebration but also a commemoration," said Elliott, who emphasized looking at Juneteenth as an extension of other US celebrations of freedom such as the Fourth of July. Juneteenth is an important time for all Americans to reflect on the true meaning of freedom. "If everyone's going to celebrate this holiday or commemorate this occasion, I think it's a very important moment to pause and reflect on freedom and enslavement in this nation," said Elliott.
We've compiled five ways to celebrate and commemorate Juneteenth this year, through supporting Black-owned businesses and restaurants, reading books by Black authors, and of course, supporting various causes and organizations. Elliott also recommends taking the holiday to learn more about the history of slavery and the treatment of African Americans in this country by reading relevant historical documents, such as Union General Gordon Granger's General Order No. 3, The Emancipation Proclamation, and the 13th Amendment. "People use Juneteenth to empower themselves, to raise up issues, and to reflect on where they came from, where they are, and where they have yet to go," said Elliott. If you're looking to celebrate this year, these five options are a great place to start.
Here are five ways to celebrate Juneteenth this year
Buy from Black-owned businesses
This year, many Black-owned brands are hosting sales in celebration of Juneteenth, making it a great time to shop with them for the first time. We've curated a list of brands that offer natural candles, stunning art prints, unique accessories, and even targeted skincare products.
Many of the brands featured below are available at major retailers such as Target, Macy's, Madewell, and Sephora.
If you're looking for more brands to support, check out our guide to the 15 Black-owned menswear brands and retailers you should get to know and 9 Black-owned home stores and brands that have swoon-worthy decor.
Shop Black-owned home and kitchen brands:
Clare: A direct-to-consumer paint company. Read our full review of Clare here.
Jungalow: Colorful, limited edition home goods that are inspired by nature.
Forvr Mood: Luxury candles with powerful scents.
Freres Branchiaux: Natural, vegan candles. Also available at Target.
Reyna Noriega: Prints, cards, stickers, pillows, and more designed by artist Reyna Noriega.
Blk Market Vintage: Vintage home goods and collectibles with Black history.
Estelle Colored Glasses: Uniquely colored, hand-blown glasses. Available at West Elm and Food52.
Effortless Composition: Eclectic and affordable home and kitchen decor.
Flyest: Pop culture inspired tea and serveware.
Blk & Bold: Coffee and tea company with a commitment to supporting at-risk youth. Available at Target and Amazon.
Linoto: 100% soft linen bedding, bath, and kitchen products.
54kibo: Unique home decor, lighting, linens, and more created by contemporary African Designers.
Albany Park: Contemporary and modern sofas, sectionals, ottomans, and more in solid and bold African prints.
Freres Branchiaux Whiskey Sweet Candle Check price at Target 
Estelle Colored Glass Hand-Blown Colored Wine Glasses (Set of 6) Check price at Food52 
BLK & BOLD The Warm Up Blend Medium Roast (NBA Western Conference) Check price at BLK & BOLD Shop Black-owned style and beauty brands:
Humans Before Handles: Accessories with fun, unique designs.
Ben Oni: Stunning gold and silver jewelry. Available at Macy's.
Hanahana Beauty: Clean and natural skincare and body care products.
Rosen Skincare: Skincare products formulated to treat and prevent acne. Select products available at Target and Urban Outfitters.
Topicals: Targeted skincare products created by experts. Available at Sephora.
The Doux: High performance hair products for curly hair. Available at Target and Walmart.
Mielle: Hair products with organic, natural ingredients. Available at Target, Walmart, and Sally Beauty.
Briogeo: Natural hair care products formulated to fight frizz and define curls. Available at Sephora.
Hanifa: Ready-to-wear clothing with bold designs for women sizes 0-20.
Black Girl Sunscreen: Sunscreen brand that specifically caters to Black women's skin. Available at Ulta and Target.
Pattern Beauty: Natural hair care products that cater to all curl patterns and hair textures. Available at Ulta, Target, Amazon, and Sephora.
Juvia's Place: A makeup brand with vibrant and pigmented products and a wide range of foundation shades. Available at Ulta and Target.
TPH by Taraji: A hair care brand that concentrates on scalp health for all hair types. Available at Target, Walmart, and Amazon.
Telfar: A designer fashion brand that's known for its small to large-sized vegan-leather "shopping bags'' that sells out within seconds.
Savage X Fenty: Rihanna's lingerie line that caters to all body types and genders.
Topicals Faded Serum Check price at Sephora 
The Doux Mousse Def Texture Foam Check price at Target 
Hanifa Soraya Maxi Dress Check price at Hanifa 
Black Girl Sunscreen Broad Spectrum - SPF 30 Check price at Ulta Read books by Black authors about Black experiences
Taking time to educate yourself and learn more about Black history is another productive way to spend Juneteenth. Choose to spend the day working your way through a cookbook that celebrates the history of African American cooking or learning more about the history behind Juneteenth.
Retailers like Bookshop make it possible to support your favorite small Black-owned bookstores without having to visit them in person. Bookshop gives a portion of the profits from every purchase to each bookstore. Some of our favorite Black-owned bookstores are The Lit Bar in the Bronx and Uncle Bobbie's Coffee & Books in Philadelphia.
We curated a collection of 20 coffee table books by Black authors, photographers, and artists, for those looking to add some variety to their bookshelves this Juneteenth. Our collection includes books with captivating images, thought provoking essays, and detailed artwork.
"Jubilee: Recipes from Two Centuries of African American Cooking" Check price at Bookshop 
"On Juneteenth" Check price at Bookshop 
"The New Black Vanguard: Photography Between Art and Fashion" Check price at Bookshop Check price at Amazon 
"Kwame Brathwaite: Black Is Beautiful" Check price at Bookshop Eat at Black-owned restaurants
Another fun way to celebrate Juneteenth is to eat at Black-owned restaurants, which could use our support post pandemic. While we always recommend supporting businesses in your community, delivery services like Goldbelly allow you to support small minority-owned restaurants from across the country right from your home. Goldbelly has curated a list of Black-owned restaurants to shop with in celebration of Juneteenth, and offers everything from delicious desserts to smoky barbecue.
Magic City Kitchen Chicken Wings Best Sellers - 75 Pack Check price at Goldbelly 
Marcus Samuelsson's Streetbird Marcus' Hot Honey Chicken and Cornbread Waffles for 4 Check price at Gold Belly 
Bludso's BBQ Mini Trinity BBQ Combo - Brisket, Ribs & Links Check price at Goldbelly 
Southern Girl Desserts Giant Sweet Potato Pound Cake Check price at Goldbelly Donate to organizations that support Black communities
If you're looking to make a bigger impact this Juneteenth, you can support several organizations that focus on improving various issues that impact Black communities.
Juneteenth is a "time to come together as a community to celebrate, to commemorate, and to lift up ongoing issues that need to be addressed," said Elliott. Some of these notable organizations are pushing businesses to sell more Black-owned brands, offering support for LGTBQ+ youth of color, and are working to make therapy easily accessible to Black women and girls. You can support these organizations by joining their communities and attending various events, spreading awareness about their cause on social media, and of course by donating to help them continue their great work. This list is by no means fully exhaustive and you can find more organizations that support different causes using this directory.
- 15 Percent Pledge: The 15 Percent Pledge works to encourage retailers to commit at least 15% of their shelves to sell Black-owned brands. You can support its mission through donation here.
- Black Girls Code: Black Girls Code's mission is to give young girls of color more programming and tech opportunities. You can support its mission through donation here.
- Black Girl In Om: Black Girl In Om works to create safe spaces of healing for Black women. You can support its mission through donation here.
- The Audre Lorde Project: The Audre Lorde Project supports LGBTQ+ youth of color through community and social justice initiatives. You can support its mission through donation here.
- Equal Justice Initiative: The Equal Justice Initiative is working to end mass incarceration and excessive criminal punishment for marginalized communities in the U.S. You can support its mission through donation here.
- Therapy for Black Girls: Therapy for Black Girls works to destigmatize conversations surrounding Black women's mental health while providing resources for therapy and other mental health services. You can support its mission through donation here.
- Envision Freedom Fund: The Envision Freedom Fund works to dismantle oppressive criminal, legal, and immigration systems. You can support its mission through donation here.
- Well-Read Black Girl: Well-Read Black Girl looks to address inequalities through literature by centering around written works created by Black women. You can support its mission through donation here.
- Thurgood Marshall College Fund: The Thurgood Marshall College Fund's mission is to support diverse students attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) and Predominantly Black Institutions (PBI) by giving students access to education, internships, jobs, and more. You can support its mission through donation here.
Visit US destinations to learn more about Black history
Visiting destinations with extensive Black history can be a great way to celebrate this Juneteenth, as travel restrictions continue to be lifted. In our guide to the seven U.S destinations to visit to learn about Black history, we highlighted several states with rich Black history, as well as Black-owned restaurants, hotels, and businesses to support along the way. Whether you're looking to visit Emancipation Park in Texas, the home of Harriet Tubman in upstate New York, or walk in the childhood home and church of Martin Luther King Jr. in Atlanta, Georgia; our guide has several trip options.
Maliah West Home & Kitchen Fellow Maliah West is a Home and Kitchen fellow at Insider, where she covers product reviews, gift guides, and deals in the home and kitchen space, specifically in the home organization, home office, and decor categories. Maliah graduated from Stony Brook University with a degree in Psychology and a minor in Writing and Rhetoric. Before transitioning to digital media, Maliah worked in various administrative positions which started her obsession with all things organization. In her free time, you can find her reading any and everything she can get her hands on, learning new skills through online classes, and thinking of new ways to organize her space. You can reach Maliah at mwest@businessinsider.com. See below for some of her work. The 9 best places to shop for sofas and couches in 2021 The 4 best bath mats we tested in 2021 The 5 best hangers we tested in 2021 20 conversation-starting coffee table books by Black authors, photographers, and artists The 8 best places to buy floor lamps in 2021 Learn more about how our team of experts tests and reviews products at Insider here. Read more Read less 
Kenedee Fowler Kenedee Fowler is a freelance commerce writer with three years of experience sharing her expertise to help readers source the best home products, fashion pieces, and beauty finds. She is also a former home editorial fellow on the Business Insider Reviews team. In her free time, you can find Kenedee trying local coffee shops, adding plants and decor to her home, and catching up with friends over brunch. Read more Read lessYou can purchase logo and accolade licensing to this story here.
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