Juneteenth: A Photo Exploration In Three Cities
Momentum traveled to Detroit, Durham and Birmingham to document the holiday commemorating the slow end of slavery.
For many Black Americans, Juneteenth is the real Independence Day. It marks the date in 1865 — two years after the Emancipation Proclamation — when enslaved Texans were finally notified that they were free. Since then, on every Juneteenth in Texas and later, in other states, Black families come together and communities hold celebrations filled with music, dance, poetry, red foods, somber reflections and education. There are parades and concerts, festivals and fireworks. It’s a day of joy and rejoicing, of ancestral memory and dreams. Freedom.
Momentum enlisted the help of three photographers — one in Birmingham, one in Durham, N.C. and one in Detroit — to document Juneteenth 2021. When we gave the assignment, we had no idea the federal government would — days before — vote to recognize the celebration as an official federal holiday. The images snapped by Cornell Watson, Joi West and Val Waller showcase the magnificence of this moment in time. They traveled their regions and talked to people of all viewpoints about June 19, and though many pointed out there is still work yet to be done, they all celebrated. After all, Juneteenth not only celebrates the end of slavery, but also the beginning of summer cookouts and for this year — for many — it represents yet another small win in the war against systemic racism.
Read on to see their field reports.
Willa’s First Juneteenth: A Report From Durham, N.C.
Photographer Cornell Watson took his camera and his baby girl to her first ever Juneteenth celebration. Only three-years-old, she’s much too young to understand the horrors her ancestors endured, but she’s here — and that alone is significant. Black joy is an act of resistance.
“Despite the challenges we still face in pursuit of equity, our community came together to celebrate. There will be many conversations about the nationalization of a Texas holiday, but for now, I choose joy.”
A Low Key Juneteenth Cookout In A Detroit Park
Photographer Val Waller went to Stockton Park in Detroit and snapped images of a group of friends at a small Juneteenth cookout. Separately, a mother was passing out sparklers to local kids, as they enjoyed the day.
“So, this Juneteenth, I focused on capturing images that celebrate and reflect everything I hope this newly federalized holiday will come to represent — Black liberation, Black joy, Black inclusivity, Black freedom of expression, Black love, and, most importantly, Black peace.So, this Juneteenth, I focused on capturing images that celebrate and reflect everything I hope this newly federalized holiday will come to represent — Black liberation, Black joy, Black inclusivity, Black freedom of expression, Black love, and, most importantly, Black peace.”
A Little Rain Didn’t Stop Juneteenth in Birmingham
Photographer Joi West attended several events in the Birmingham area and says she came away with a greater understanding of resilience.
“Seeing people of various ages and cultures celebrate Juneteenth, I realized that we have resilience against all odds,” West writes.
