Observing Juneteenth 2023

June 16, 2023
Frontpage, Advocacy

In 2022, the New Hampshire Women’s Foundation (NHWF) Board unanimously voted to add Juneteenth to our calendar of recognized holidays.

Our core values, established and defined over the last few years, through a pandemic and racial reckoning, include Bold Leadership, Equity and Justice. The vote to add Juneteenth to our list of recognized holidays was unanimous and in alignment with our organization’s values.

What is Juneteenth?

Juneteenth, sometimes called Emancipation Day, is the day Black Americans have marked for decades to commemorate June 19th, 1865 — two and half years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed by President Lincoln — when word that slavery had been abolished reached the final state in the Union. It is a celebration of the effective end of slavery, a change to remember and reflect on the oppression that enslaved people endured, even after slavery was technically outlawed — and a powerful reminder that words and proclamations of equality are never enough without dedicated action.

How is the New Hampshire Women’s Foundation marking Juneteenth?

The New Hampshire Women’s Foundation celebrates Juneteenth using our Voice, Money and Power:

Voice — We use our voice to uplift and amplify New Hampshire’s Black community and organizations like Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire, who hosts Juneteenth events across the state.
Money —Last year, we launched the Women and Girls of Color Fund, a first-of-its-kind fund in the state to support work led by and serving women and girls of color in New Hampshire. To date, we have funded 4 organizations who align with the goals of his Fund. Juneteenth falls just a few weeks before the next deadline for grant applications: July 1st! Please spread the word and encourage projects and initiatives led by and serving women and girls of color in New Hampshire to apply for our next round of grants from this Fund. More information here: https://nhwomensfoundation.org/women-girls-of-color-fund/
Power — While Juneteenth was recognized as a federal holiday in 2022, some organizations and businesses still do not recognize Juneteenth. As a statewide community foundation, we recognize the privilege of being able to close our office for a day. We hope that by proudly joining the growing list of Granite State organizations and businesses in publicly recognizing Juneteenth, we are using our collective power to elevate this important holiday.

How can you meaningfully participate in and observe Juneteenth?

We encourage you to recognize Juneteenth however you can, by closing your organization or place of business in observance of the day, by donating to organizations led by and serving BIPOC folks in New Hampshire, by shopping at Black-owned businesses, and by reflecting on our shared history and the work we have yet to do to achieve true liberation for all.

Learn more about this year’s Juneteenth celebrations across New Hampshire, and how you can participate: