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LBCAC Presents: Juneteenth Freedom Day

In observance of the newest federal holiday, the Laguna Beach Cultural Arts Center will hold Laguna Beach's first-ever Juneteenth Freedom Day commemoration on Sunday, June 19. Events start at 3 p.m. with a free screening of the acclaimed 2021 documentary film, "Summer of Soul," directed by Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson. At 6 p.m., popular blues, funk and soul singer O'Malley Jones and his band Stepping Into Now will perform. Texas-style barbecue with all the sides and red velvet cupcakes will be sold. 

The film screening is free, but seats are limited and must be reserved. Tickets for the concert and barbecue can be purchased at lbculturalartscenter.org.

"Few American historical events compare to the significance of the abolition of slavery," said Rick Conkey, founder and director of the Laguna Beach Cultural Arts Center. "It forever changed the political and social landscape of the country. The new attention Juneteenth is receiving outside of Black communities is long overdue. The Cultural Arts Center is proud to hold this event to bring greater understanding to this holiday. We want to counter the idea that it's 'a Black thing,' much like Kwanzaa. Juneteenth Freedom Day is designed to foster dialogue about the trauma that has resulted from the enslavement of four million human beings for more than 250 years. We must come to terms with how slavery continues to affect the lives of every American. It's a day for everyone of every race to engage in and learn more about American history."

Eight artworks by Allyson Allen depicting enslavement will be on display at the Center. Allen, a highly regarded California quilt artist and an advisor for the event, became widely known to Laguna Beach in February when her quilt exhibition "Piece-ful Protest" was the subject of controversy. After a complaint about the subject matter, Wells Fargo Bank removed it two days after its installation. It was rehung at the Neighborhood Congregational Church and attracted many viewers. 

Allen commented, "There is no American history without Black history. On July 4, 1776, America celebrated its independence as a new nation. However, it wasn't until almost 100 years later that enslaved Africans in this country became free African Americans. That is why Juneteenth is known as Freedom Day or Black Independence Day. Over the years, Juneteenth celebrations have combined with annual family reunions, reminiscent of when the newly freed slaves set out to find and reunite with family members from whom they were separated. I'm pleased to see that the Laguna Beach Cultural Arts Center is marking this date with good food, good music, and good company. Happy Juneteenth!"

The Center will donate a portion of the event’s proceeds to the African American Alliance Fund. Its goal is to raise awareness about systemic racism and support programs that advance African Americans within Orange County and surrounding communities. 

About Juneteenth

Juneteenth, a portmanteau of the words "June" and "nineteenth," stands as the oldest celebration of Black emancipation in the United States. The occasion marks the progress of the United States from approving race-based chattel slavery to abolishing it after centuries of resistance, the initiation of the nation's bloodiest war, and a constitutional amendment. 

Juneteenth celebrations originated in Texas. On June 19, 1865, Union General Gordon Granger issued an order declaring: "The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free…" This was two and a half years after President Lincoln decreed the Emancipation Proclamation, which declared enslaved people in rebel states were free. But in practice, it applied only to enslaved people who lived near Union lines, where they could make an easy escape or take advantage of the Northern advance.

So, for a long time, formerly enslaved people in Texas did not know they were free, and even after they knew, they faced lynchings, rape, and continued acts of forced labor. But that didn't stop freed people from celebrating the June 19 announcement in opposition to the systems of white oppression. Initially, this holiday was known as Manumission Day, named after the act of an owner freeing their captives, but later, the name that stuck was the memorable portmanteau of the date of General Granger's order. 

About the film "Summer of Soul" 

In his acclaimed debut as a filmmaker, Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson presents a powerful and transporting documentary — part music film, part historical record created around an epic event that celebrated Black history, culture, and fashion. Over six weeks in the summer of 1969, just 100 miles south of Woodstock, N.Y., the Harlem Cultural Festival was filmed in Mount Morris Park, now Marcus Garvey Park. The footage was largely forgotten – until a surprised Thompson heard about the festival and began to research, resulting in a moving documentary that stands as a testament to the healing power of music during times of unrest, both past and present. The feature includes concert performances by Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, Sly & the Family Stone, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Mahalia Jackson, B.B. King, The 5th Dimension, and many others. There are interviews and touching scenes of the artists viewing the old footage of their performances for the first time. 

"Summer of Soul" premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, where it won both the Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award. It went on to win numerous other awards, including Best Documentary at the 94th Academy Awards, Best Music Film at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards, and Best Documentary at the 75th British Academy Film Awards.

About soul and R&B musician O'Malley Jones

Blessed with a rich, provocative soul and R&B vocal expression, Jones combines innovative stage choreography and a flashy performance style with audience participation. He can shout it with authority or sway and swing it with distinctive gestures as he offers standard renditions made famous by the best in the business and original tunes. 

About the significance of red Juneteenth drinks and food 

Red drinks at Juneteenth celebrations have links to the fruits of two native West African plants: the kola nut and hibiscus. The kola nut, typically white or red, was served to guests as a snack to chew, used as a water purifier, or steeped for tea. Hibiscus flowers were often stewed to make a reddish-purple tea called bissap. Both were extracted to the Caribbean and the Americas during the Atlantic slave trade. 

The practice of eating red foods –– red cake, barbecue, punch, and fruit—may owe its existence to the enslaved Yoruba and Kongo brought to Texas in the 19th century from present-day Nigeria, Ghana, Togo, Benin, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, writes culinary historian and food writer Michael Twitty in his blog, Afroculinaria.

Twitty also wrote, "enslavement narratives from Texas recall an African ancestor being lured by captors using red flannel cloth. Many of the charms and power objects used to manipulate invisible forces required a red handkerchief." 

Some food historians believe the significance of eating and drinking red foods links African Americans to their ancestors and the Asante and Yoruba occasions where they offered up the blood of animals.

About the Laguna Beach Cultural Arts Center 

The Laguna Beach Cultural Arts Center's mission is to harness the power of the arts for the benefit of the community. The center is just off Coast Highway at 235 Forest Avenue, upstairs above the Promenade in Laguna Beach, the heart of Southern California's premier art colony. lbculturalartscenter.org