“And so why is black joy so important – especially in the world we navigate today? To be Black and joyful despite and against all the odds is an act of resistance. To choose joy is to say that regardless of years of systemic oppression, unfair disadvantages, and everything life may try to throw your way, in the words of the late Maya Angelou – “Still I Rise.” “

Juneteenth is an often overlooked event in our nation’s history. On June 19, 1865, Union troops freed enslaved African Americans in Galveston Bay and across Texas some two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation.

June 19, 1865, marked a huge turning point for Black people in America. But many slave owners refused to comply. And even celebrating the date was discouraged in the years to come.

When Granger arrived in Galveston, there still existed around 250,000 slaves and they were not all freed immediately, or even soon. It was not uncommon for slave owners, unwilling to give up free labor, to refuse to release their slaves until forced to, in person, by a representative of the government, historian Henry Louis Gates Jr. wrote. Some would wait until one final harvest was complete, and some would just outright refuse to submit. It was a perilous time for Black people, and some former slaves who were freed or attempted to get free were attacked and killed.

The first LGBTQ+ Pride was the commemoration of the one-year anniversary of the Stonewall riots, which served as a catalyst for the LGBTQ+ movement for civil rights in the United States and around the world. Fifty-two years ago, in the early hours of June 28, 1969, New York City police violently raided the Stonewall Inn, a popular gay bar, and hauled off employees and patrons—a majority of whom were Black or brown.

The first LGBTQ+ Pride was the commemoration of the one-year anniversary of the Stonewall riots, which served as a catalyst for the LGBTQ+ movement for civil rights in the United States and around the world. Fifty-two years ago, in the early hours of June 28, 1969, New York City police violently raided the Stonewall Inn, a popular gay bar, and hauled off employees and patrons—a majority of whom were Black or brown.

While the events that sparked the fight for LGBTQ+ liberation as we know it today get some attention, we often forget that the movement was led by trans women of color and Black lesbians. The following four women of color were key leaders in advocating for LGBTQ+ rights. These women cared for their community and fought for all LGBTQ+ people to have the freedom to live as they are.  Because of transphobia and anti-Blackness, these women often faced even more discrimination as they fought.

Black and Brown people are calling on white people to stand with them and take action. They’ve been fighting too hard and too long. ​​​It made us think about what do we want white people to do to celebrate Juneteenth? 

In the fight for LGBTQ+ equality, I believe there is a crucial distinction between being an ally and becoming an accomplice. When I first introduce this idea, people often appear perplexed, but as they come to understand its meaning, a wash of brief panic often crosses faces–it’s a big ask…but is it, when we’re fighting for lives and liberation?

An ally is someone who says, “I am here for you”; an accomplice is someone who says, “I am here with you.” An ally will be there after you’ve been bloodied; an accomplice is there, getting bloodied with you.

The Alamance County Community Remembrance Coalition was formed in November 2019 as a result of a few coalition members journeying to the Equal Justice Initiative’s (EJI) Legacy Museum and National Memorial for Peace and Justice in Montgomery, Alabama. These members returned with a renewed passion to bring EJI projects to their community to recognize the tragic history of local racial terror lynchings. Coalition members contacted other community leaders who could bring valuable knowledge of history, families, events, and community work.