Birmingham Civil Rights Institute Celebrates Juneteenth in New Way

 ========= Old Image Removed =========Array
(
    [_wp_attached_file] => Array
        (
            [0] => 2015/06/juneteenth_nast-emancipation-loc-03898u-e1560956410278.jpg
        )

    [_wp_attachment_metadata] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:5:{s:5:"width";i:1151;s:6:"height";i:649;s:4:"file";s:66:"2015/06/juneteenth_nast-emancipation-loc-03898u-e1560956410278.jpg";s:5:"sizes";a:12:{s:6:"medium";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:66:"juneteenth_nast-emancipation-loc-03898u-e1560956410278-336x189.jpg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:189;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:5:"large";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:66:"juneteenth_nast-emancipation-loc-03898u-e1560956410278-771x435.jpg";s:5:"width";i:771;s:6:"height";i:435;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:66:"juneteenth_nast-emancipation-loc-03898u-e1560956410278-140x140.jpg";s:5:"width";i:140;s:6:"height";i:140;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:12:"medium_large";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:66:"juneteenth_nast-emancipation-loc-03898u-e1560956410278-768x433.jpg";s:5:"width";i:768;s:6:"height";i:433;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:64:"juneteenth_nast-emancipation-loc-03898u-e1560956410278-80x80.jpg";s:5:"width";i:80;s:6:"height";i:80;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:13:"wbhm-featured";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:66:"juneteenth_nast-emancipation-loc-03898u-e1560956410278-600x338.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:338;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:66:"juneteenth_nast-emancipation-loc-03898u-e1560956410278-600x600.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:600;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:66:"juneteenth_nast-emancipation-loc-03898u-e1560956410278-552x311.jpg";s:5:"width";i:552;s:6:"height";i:311;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:66:"juneteenth_nast-emancipation-loc-03898u-e1560956410278-470x265.jpg";s:5:"width";i:470;s:6:"height";i:265;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:28:"ab-block-post-grid-landscape";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:66:"juneteenth_nast-emancipation-loc-03898u-e1560956410278-600x400.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:400;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:25:"ab-block-post-grid-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:66:"juneteenth_nast-emancipation-loc-03898u-e1560956410278-600x600.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:600;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:66:"juneteenth_nast-emancipation-loc-03898u-e1560956410278-125x125.jpg";s:5:"width";i:125;s:6:"height";i:125;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}}s:10:"image_meta";a:12:{s:8:"aperture";s:1:"0";s:6:"credit";s:0:"";s:6:"camera";s:0:"";s:7:"caption";s:0:"";s:17:"created_timestamp";s:1:"0";s:9:"copyright";s:0:"";s:12:"focal_length";s:1:"0";s:3:"iso";s:1:"0";s:13:"shutter_speed";s:1:"0";s:5:"title";s:0:"";s:11:"orientation";s:1:"0";s:8:"keywords";a:0:{}}}
        )

    [_wp_attachment_backup_sizes] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:10:{s:9:"full-orig";a:3:{s:5:"width";i:1154;s:6:"height";i:781;s:4:"file";s:43:"juneteenth_nast-emancipation-loc-03898u.jpg";}s:14:"thumbnail-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:51:"juneteenth_nast-emancipation-loc-03898u-140x140.jpg";s:5:"width";i:140;s:6:"height";i:140;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:11:"medium-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:51:"juneteenth_nast-emancipation-loc-03898u-336x227.jpg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:227;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:10:"large-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:51:"juneteenth_nast-emancipation-loc-03898u-771x522.jpg";s:5:"width";i:771;s:6:"height";i:522;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:14:"wbhm-icon-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:49:"juneteenth_nast-emancipation-loc-03898u-80x80.jpg";s:5:"width";i:80;s:6:"height";i:80;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:18:"wbhm-featured-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:51:"juneteenth_nast-emancipation-loc-03898u-600x338.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:338;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:25:"wbhm-featured-square-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:51:"juneteenth_nast-emancipation-loc-03898u-300x300.jpg";s:5:"width";i:300;s:6:"height";i:300;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:23:"wbhm-featured-home-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:51:"juneteenth_nast-emancipation-loc-03898u-460x311.jpg";s:5:"width";i:460;s:6:"height";i:311;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:27:"wbhm-featured-carousel-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:51:"juneteenth_nast-emancipation-loc-03898u-392x265.jpg";s:5:"width";i:392;s:6:"height";i:265;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:19:"post-thumbnail-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:51:"juneteenth_nast-emancipation-loc-03898u-125x125.jpg";s:5:"width";i:125;s:6:"height";i:125;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}}
        )

    [_imagify_optimization_level] => Array
        (
            [0] => 1
        )

    [_imagify_status] => Array
        (
            [0] => error
        )

    [_imagify_data] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:2:{s:5:"sizes";a:1:{s:4:"full";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:37:"The backup directory is not writable.";}}s:5:"stats";a:3:{s:13:"original_size";i:0;s:14:"optimized_size";i:0;s:7:"percent";i:0;}}
        )

)
1655899627 
1434732137

Today in some deep south states is the 150th anniversary of Juneteenth. Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration of the ending of slavery. It began on June 19th, 1865, after Union soldiers finally got word to Texas that slavery had ended — almost 3 years after Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation. The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute normally hosts a festival, but for this particular anniversary members decided to do something different.

This year, officials at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute and at the Equal Justice Initiative decided to take the Juneteenth celebration in a different direction. Instead of the music, food vendors and contests of the past, they held a press conference featuring speakers including BCRI President and CEO Priscilla Cooper. BCRI Outreach Coordinator Samuel Pugh says the conference’s purpose was encourage conversation and education about Juneteenth’s history for this 150th anniversary.

“It’s one thing to celebrate something,” he says,  “It’s one thing to have a party about something, but it’s something else when you get the knowledge of why you are celebrating.”

Educational programs for Juneteenth will continue Saturday at BCRI with a movie screening of “Unchained Memories: Readings from the Slaves Narratives,” and a performance by the Make It Happen theater group.

 

What separates the ultrarich from the just-plain-rich? The gigayacht.

A new collection of essays by New Yorker writer Evan Osnos, The Haves and Have-Yachts, provides rich research and material for the conversation about extreme wealth in America today.

LA Dodgers pledge $1 million in support of immigrants amid ICE raids

The pledge comes amid ongoing federal immigration raids targeting migrants in the area, and calls from the Dodgers' fanbase for the organization to speak out against them.

This abortion method doesn’t involve doctors — and many of them consider it safe

A growing body of research demonstrating the safety and effectiveness of self-managed abortion with pills, coupled with the global pandemic in 2020 and the fall of Roe in 2022, has many U.S. doctors changing their views.

The Pentagon is set to hold a briefing after U.S. strikes Iran

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth will speak to reporters the morning after President Trump announced the U.S. had attacked three nuclear facilities in Iran, aiding Israel in its conflict with the country.

U.S. completes strikes on Iran nuclear sites, Trump says

The U.S. has completed attacks on three nuclear sites in Iran, President Trump wrote on Truth Social on Saturday.

At least three people dead from a tornado in North Dakota

At least three residents were killed in the Enderlin area by a tornado on Friday night after storms hit North Dakota and Minnesota.

More Arts and Culture Coverage