Birmingham Civil Rights Institute Celebrates Juneteenth in New Way
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.
Trump is set to announce his first trade deal since his tariffs sent markets reeling
Presidenti Trump did not reveal the trading partner, saying only that it was "A BIG, AND HIGHLY RESPECTED, COUNTRY" and that representatives would join him at 10 a.m. ET in the Oval Office.
USDA chief says agency is trying to fill key jobs after paying 15,000 to leave
Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins says the department will consider bringing back some employees who took the government's deferred resignation offer.
Trump picks Casey Means for surgeon general, after first nominee withdraws
Dr. Janette Nesheiwat withdrew her nomination for Surgeon General after questions about her credentials. Dr. Casey Means has a medical degree from Stanford and a best-selling book on metabolic health.
Energy Star, efficiency program that has steered consumer choice, targeted in cuts
An Environmental Protection Agency plan to eliminate its Energy Star offices would end a decades-old program that gave consumers a choice to buy environmentally friendly electronics and save money on bills, consumer and environmental groups said.
In the wake of tariffs, cargo at the Port of LA is down 35%
The immediate impact of the cargo decline affects virtually every business around the ports, but port officials say this downturn will soon be felt much more broadly.
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ fame posed challenges during jury selection
Nearly 100 potential jurors were whittled down to a group of 45 on Wednesday ahead of the mogul's case for racketeering and prostitution. For many, his outsized celebrity was an issue.