Support Independent Arts Journalism As an independent publication, we rely on readers like you to fund our journalism and keep our reporting and criticism free and accessible to all. If you value our coverage and want to support more of it, consider becoming a member today. With Juneteenth around the corner, marking the historical event’s third year as a national holiday in the United States, many around the nation are revisiting films, books , and histories that foster reflection on the day and its importance to the contemporary movement for racial justice.
One recent example, screening at the Brooklyn Public Library’s Flatbush location this Thursday, June 20, is the documentary film Juneteenth: Faith and Freedom (2022), which follows the pastor, educator, and descendant Rasool Berry as he travels across Texas to understand why we celebrate the holiday and the circumstances leading up to it. Sign up for our free newsletters to get the latest art news, reviews, and opinions from Hyperallergic. Daily The latest stories every weekday morning Weekly Editors' picks of the best stories each week Opportunities Monthly list of opportunities for artists, and art workers View our full list of free newsletters .
Juneteenth is a portmanteau of “June 19th,” the day in 1865 on which enslaved African Americans in Texas were officially informed of their freedom two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation that declared all enslaved people.
