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.
Pilot who died in N.C. plane crash tried to avoid a turtle on airport runway
The pilot of a small plane that crashed near an airport tried to avoid hitting a turtle on the runway, according to a National Transportation Safety Board report. The pilot and a passenger were killed.
Day after day, Palestinians in Gaza risk harrowing journey in desperate search for food
Israel has begun allowing food into Gaza. Most of the supplies go to GHF, which operates food distribution points. A trickle of aid goes to the U.N. and humanitarian groups. Both systems are mired in chaos.
Photos: Why it took courage for these women to pose for the camera
Wearing traditional cosmetic face masks from their homeland of Madagascar, they agreed to be photographed to take a stand.
Court blocks Louisiana law requiring schools to post Ten Commandments in classrooms
The ruling marked a win for civil liberties groups who say the mandate violates the separation of church and state, and that displays would isolate students — especially those who are not Christian.
Israel and Iran’s war enters its ninth day as talks fail to reach a breakthrough
With the war between Israel and Iran now in its second week, the two countries continued to trade missile attacks on Saturday, and Iran's foreign minister warned against a U.S. strike on Iran.
Opinion: From tragedy, words of wisdom
Sophie and Colin Hortman remember their parents, Minnesota Rep. Melissa Hortman and Mark Hortman, as "the bright lights at the center of our lives." The couple was murdered in their home last weekend.
