TrainingBriefs® Embracing Other Cultures (Juneteenth)

Understanding standing and embracing other cultures is a key part of creating an inclusive workplace free of bias and stereotypes. This course provides an overview of the African American holiday – Juneteeth. Juneteenth honors the end to slavery in the United States and is considered the longest-running African American holiday. On June 17, 2021, President Joe Biden declared Juneteenth an official federal holiday.

Celebrating Juneteenth typically offers a wide range of activities – from public readings of the Emancipation Proclamation to singing traditional songs and reading the works of famous African American writers and poets. Other Juneteenth celebrations often include street fairs, cookouts, family reunions, park parties, historical re-enactments and Miss Juneteenth contests. Red food and drinks are also a common feature of the Juneteenth holiday as a symbol of the blood that was shed by slaves.