Fletcher Observes Juneteenth 2022
Juneteenth (June 19th) marks the date in history when word reached more than a quarter of a million still-enslaved people in Texas that they were finally free –two and a half years after President Lincoln’s executive order abolishing slavery.
Tufts began observing Juneteenth in 2020, and in 2021 President Biden signed into law a bill making Juneteenth the 11th holiday recognized by the US government. To this day, it remains the oldest national observance commemorating the end of slavery in the United States.
This year, Fletcher joins Tufts in commemorating Juneteenth with a series of programs, and offers some educational resources for members of our community to educate themselves.
Tufts Juneteenth Observance Ceremony
Because Juneteenth falls on a Sunday this year, the Tufts’ Juneteenth Observance Ceremony is scheduled for Friday, June 17, 2022. We are pleased to welcome guest speaker Dr. Jelani Cobb, who last year served as keynote speaker at the Tufts 2021 Martin Luther King Jr. Symposium. Dr. Cobb is a renowned thought leader on the topics of race, history, politics and culture in America. He is also incoming dean for Columbia’s Journalism School, as well as Columbia’s Ira A. Lipman Professor of Journalism, and director of the Ira A. Lipman Center for Journalism and Civil and Human Rights.
It promises to be an opportunity to commemorate the spirit and meaning of Juneteenth, reflect on the most impactful ways to address inequities and be accountable to our antiracism commitments.
The program is open to all members of the Tufts community. Please join us in person in Distler Hall in the Granoff Music Center from 9:00 – 10:30 a.m. The event will live streamed for those who are unable to attend in person. Please RSVP here.
In-person “students-only” event
In addition to Dr. Cobb’s morning address, he will host an informal conversation with students from around the university Friday afternoon from 1:00-2:00pm. This will be an in-person event with no remote participation option.
Those interested in attending are asked to RSVP to S__Rae.Peoples@tufts.edu (two underscores between the “S” and the “R”). The location of the conversation will be confirmed later this week.
Gerald R. Gill Papers Exhibit
Gerald Gill was a Tufts history professor whose research into the experiences of Black faculty, staff at students at Tufts are documented in more than 50 boxes of material known as the Gill Papers. Through his archives, Professor Gill is remembered and celebrated for his dedication to students and lasting contributions to the Tufts community.
Members of the Tufts community are invited to view the new Gerald R. Gill Papers Exhibit on Friday, June 17 in the Coolidge Room from 12:30 – 2:30 p.m.
Educational Resources
National Museum of African American History and Culture/Smithsonian
Includes Juneteenth Reading List, Children & Youth Resources
https://students.tufts.edu/student-affairs/community-and-events/diversity-and-inclusion/anti-racism