My Juneteenth Journey
Abdel Salaam’s Forces of Nature performing at Riverside Theater
I worked at the Riverside Church from 1997 to 2011 under the leadership of Rev. Dr. James A. Forbes Jr and found a calling in the majestic halls of the historically renowned “social justice church” and in its namesake theater. It was a time of inspiration, discovery, and growth as I curated and produced performances, film screenings, festivals, and dialogues around the social justice issues impacting our community. It was a journey that validated how powerful the arts are to reveal the underbelly of issues that have endlessly plagued our society.
Dance, theater, exhibits, and film laid bare topics such as racism, environmental crisis, violence, corporate greed, and more. I searched for ways to connect with community, create partnerships, and provide artists with a platform to speak their truth. During those fourteen years, I learned the value of collaboration and support to help others reveal their creative gifts and give voice to pressing concerns.
We are now faced with the fact that tomorrow is today. We are confronted with the fierce urgency of now. In this unfolding conundrum of life and history, there "is" such a thing as being too late. This is no time for apathy or complacency. This is a time for vigorous and positive action.
—Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
A Call to the Vision
Rev. Forbes has a mighty vision—compelling and enfolding—as he speaks prophetically about justice for all. He envisions a world of freedom and equality with Juneteenth as the abiding symbol of our efforts to become “a more perfect Union.” When I received a call from Dr. Forbes in 2019 to talk about producing his Juneteenth program, the answer was a resounding yes. The excitement increased when he shared the possibility of the program being held at the historic Carnegie Hall. Juneteenth on the Stern/Perelman stage was a bold and courageous step in his pursuit of a democratic ideal.
Translating that vision onto the Carnegie stage was a worthy challenge. You see, Juneteenth was a healing ritual to acknowledge the pain of the past and look forward to a brighter day. Shaping the program meant capturing the brutality and cruelty of the middle passage, the sale block, plantation life, and survival thereafter. Uplifting Dr. Forbes’ vision meant channeling the despair, strength in perseverance, and the tenacity and grit to survive, into every moment of the program to arrive at a freedom celebration called Juneteenth. With clear intention and purpose, we worked cohesively to bring his vision to life. What a glorious evening it was!
Texas Juneteenth Day Celebration, 1900 (Austin History Center, Austin Public Library)
Juneteenth: A Symbol of Hope
Dating back to the end of the American Civil War in 1865, Juneteenth commemorates our nation’s true independence—the day when all members of the newly formed Union were finally declared free. The formal declaration that all enslaved persons in the Confederate States of America were to be freed was issued on January 1, 1863. By 1865, there were an estimated 250,000 enslaved people in Texas.
A full two-and-a-half years after the declaration, on June 18, 1865, Union Army General Gordon Granger arrived at Galveston Island with 2,000 federal troops to occupy Texas on behalf of the federal government. The following day, standing on the balcony of Galveston's Ashton Villa, Granger read the "General Order No. 3," announcing the total emancipation of those held as slaves. And so, Juneteenth became a day for celebration, when everyone dressed in their finest to mark newfound liberty.
More than 400 years after the first Africans were brought to the English colonies, the fight for equality continues.
Juneteenth 2020 at Carnegie
The COVID pandemic has forced arts venues, like Carnegie, to rethink their presenting models and restructure programs for online engagement. So we’ve moved online: Live With Carnegie Hall is a new, free online series that will present Juneteenth 2020: All-American Freedom Day, tonight at 7:30 PM.
Rev. Dr. James A. Forbes Jr. will be in conversation with Carnegie Hall Chairman Robert F. Smith and Executive and Artistic Director Clive Gillinson to celebrate the incontrovertible importance of this historic day and acknowledge the long road still ahead.
The program will also include commentary from Bill Moyers, Bishop Michael Curry and Wynton Marsalis, remarks from 2019 Spirit Alive Honorees Bree Newsome-Bass and Carmen Perez, with music by Joseph Joubert, the Juneteenth Mass Choir, and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra.
We hope you will join us tonight and watch on Carnegie’s Facebook page or YouTube page.
