155 years ago on this day, Union soldiers, led by Major General Gordon Granger, landed at Galveston, Texas with news that the war had ended and that the enslaved were now free.  

I don’t think it’s a secret to anyone that over the past three weeks people from all around the country and the world have been protesting against and mourning the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and all the others. This has sparked a second-wave civil rights movement and there is hope for real change.

This movement has inspired a push for Juneteenth to become a national holiday, and the music industry has taken some of the first steps.

According to Billboard, Warner Music Group has announced that all of their employees will get full paid leave releasing the statement, “this is an important time for all of us to learn, reflect, and connect as we continue to battle systemic racism. While this was a massive step toward liberation, more than 150 years later, people are still fighting for true freedom and equality in this country. We’ve heard loud and clear that our teams across the U.S. would like to take the time to mark this day, which is also known as Freedom Day.” Other companies like Spotify, BMG, and ASCAP are also recognizing this as a paid holiday for the first time! Sony Music told it’s employees last Sunday that, “more detailed information about our Juneteenth commemoration leading up to Friday. We look forward to coming together in progress and will provide.”

On June 16, producer, rapper, singer, fashion icon Pharrell Williams joined Virginia Governor Ralph Northam to speak out and announce a Virginia state paid holiday. “So me personally, I would like to see corporations who call Virginia their home lead the rest of the country to give people the paid day off. So we can all stand in solidarity, right? This is our America, this is everyone’s America,” said Williams.

The Virginia Beach native spoke about the lives and contributions of ancestors that are finally being recognized, “From this moment on, when you look up at the vastness of the night sky and you see those stars moving up there, know that those stars are our African ancestors dancing. They’re dancing in celebration because their lives are finally being acknowledged.”
Pharrell isn’t the only one who is striving for Juneteenth to become a national holiday. Thursday night DJ Jazzy Jeff of Fresh Prince fame will be providing the soundtrack for the Juneteenth Music Festival’s livestream, which they are calling The World’s First Virtual Global Freedom Festival.

The scheduled program will feature the sixth annual DREAM BIG Awards highlighting individuals who have made a positive impact in the community. In between awardee interviews, the livestream will feature musical performances, live podcasts, a virtual cypher, virtual dance competition, comedy, financial literacy segments, and more. Last year R&B acts like Ashanti and Ro James performed. This year the theme of the event is the 90’s versus Everybody Virtual House Party. www.juneteenthmusicfestival.com

Common is set to headline Lift Every Voice: A Juneteenth Special, a 90-minute showcase created in collaboration with Color of Change and Live Nation Urban and LiveXLive Media Inc. The special is hosted by Breakfast Club member and hip hop journalist Charlamagne Tha God and B.E.T. entertainment journalist Gia Peppers.  According to Billboard, Brandon Pankey, VP, Live Nation Urban said, “Juneteenth is the ultimate celebration of Black history and heritage. (We are) proud to partner with LiveXLive and Color of Change to bring light to a day that has been revered by African Americans for generations. Its cultural relevance and significance globally cannot be understated.” It will feature live performances from Lion Babe, Common, Leon Bridges, Vic Mensa, and more. To view the free, 90-minute event, viewers can tune into LiveXLive digital platforms on 19 June, beginning at 5:00 PM PDT.

To underscore the importance of Juneteenth this year, Spotify’s flagship playlist New Music Friday will exclusively feature Black artists from Friday, June 19, through June 26. Additionally, Spotify’s New Music Friday billboards in Times Square will be dedicated only to Black artists on June 19.