For Juneteenth last year, I checked out the celebration at the City of Albuquerque’s Civic Plaza, then headed to the movie theater and met my homies for a showing of The Blackening. The movie, co-written by Tracy Oliver (Girls Trip, Harlem), opened on June 16, 2023, nearly two years to the day after President Biden established Juneteenth as a US national holiday on June 17, 2021.
The Blackening is a horror comedy about a group of Black college friends who face deadly consequences when they reunite on Juneteenth for a weekend cookout. The holiday that’s often met upon mention with “What’s Juneteenth?” officially went mainstream, y’all. Or, at least, more mainstream than it’s ever been. Juneteenth as a holiday is utilized in this movie the same way previous mainstream entertainment set plot events around the 4th of July or summer vacation.
It’s fitting that The Blackening, aka the Juneteenth movie, is a blend of horror and comedy. Horror is appropriate because the arrival of African Americans in what was then the British colony of Virginia and the flourishing of what would become the United States of America are based on the horrific and inhumane transatlantic slave trade. The Declaration of Independence extols the idea that humans have the right to life and liberty but, at the time of its writing, the brutal enslavement of human beings thrived.
No aspect of the country that would be formed here has been untouched by the 250 years of slavery that followed.”
— “The 1619 Project”, New York Times Magazine, August 18, 2019
Juneteenth itself originated on a tragic error. It commemorates June 19, 1865, when the last of the enslaved people in Galveston, Texas were informed by Union troops that slavery had been abolished via the Emancipation Proclamation, two years earlier. Ain’t that some ish? It’s also why Juneteenth was originally a regional Texan event.
“He had to ask Rusty what Juneteenth was, and he was right, it was some country thing.
‘Juneteenth is when those slaves in Texas found out slavery was over,’ Rusty said. ‘My cousins used to throw a party to celebrate.’”
–Harlem Shuffle, by Colson Whitehead
Why is the comedy aspect of The Blackening so fitting? Peep this list of ills commented on (either seriously or humorously) in the movie:
- The legacy of Jim Crow oppression
- Police brutality
- Social isolation
- Homophobia in the Black community
- Misogynoir
- Pressure to adhere to a rigid, artificial definition of one’s race instead of expression of one’s individuality
- Overreliance on junk food and the resulting health maladies
As humans and especially as Black Americans, we balance horror with humor, and create joy and spiritual sustenance wherever and whenever we can. If not for the laughter, we’d be crying all the time.
Like comedy, horror has an ability to provoke thought and further the conversation on real social issues in a very powerful way.”
-Jordan Peele, The Daily Show interview
Keep the American tradition of honoring Juneteenth with community and fun going at one of these upcoming local celebrations. The NMBLC events calendar has a wealth of community Juneteenth celebrations hosted by groups throughout New Mexico. Keep scrolling for the Juneteenth events rundown. Check back here or on our events calendar as more 2024 Juneteenth celebrations get added.
2024 Juneteenth Celebrations in New Mexico
A Conversation with “The Grandmother of Juneteenth”
When: Wednesday, May 29, 2024, 5:30 – 7pm
Where: St Francis Auditorium in Santa Fe
What else:
- Dr. Opal Lee is seen as the “Grandmother of Juneteenth” for her role in making June 19 a federally recognized holiday
- The 97-year-old activist will visit the Land of Enchantment for the very first time
- FREE
- RSVP Required
- EVENT LINK: https://nmblc.org/events/a-conversation-with-the-grandmother-of-juneteeth/
Juneteenth Celebration on the Westside
When: Saturday, June 8, 2024, 9am – 8pm
Where: Open Space Visitor Center, Albuquerque
What else:
- Come join us as we honor the rich deep history of Black Americans and celebrate the present-day culture of all African diasporas and African descendants. We will have conversations about where we come from, where we are, and where we’re going.
- 10am -12pm What Happened to Blackdom? Presented by Dr. Timothy Nelson
- 1pm-3pm Anthems of Belonging: For a New America (Music, dance, poetry) – Presented by Hakim Bellamy
- Free Storytelling, Face Painting, and Entertainment
- Food trucks will be onsite.
- FREE
- EVENT LINK: https://www.cabq.gov/parksandrecreation/open-space/events/juneteenth-celebration
Juneteenth Gospel Extravaganza
When: Sunday, June 9, 2024, 3 – 6pm
Where: New Hope Gospel Church, Albuquerque
What else: EVENT LINK: https://nmblc.org/events/juneteenth-gospel-extravaganza/
Juneteenth Celebration: Uplifting Our Successes – Las Cruces
When: Friday, June 14, 2024, 4 – 6pm
Where: NMSU Corbett Center
What else: EVENT LINK: https://nmblc.org/events/celebrating-juneteenth-uplifting-our-successes/
Juneteenth Freedom Flow: Yoga in the Park
When: Saturday, June 15, 2024, 9 – 10am
Where: Academy Hills Park, Albuquerque
What else:
- a special outdoor yoga class celebrating Juneteenth, designed to honor the spirit of freedom, resilience, and unity.
- EVENT LINK: https://nmblc.org/events/juneteenth-freedom-flow-yoga-in-the-park/
Community Juneteenth 2024 in Downtown Albuquerque
When: Saturday, June 15, 2024, 11am – 11pm
Where: Civic Plaza, Albuquerque
What else: EVENT LINK: https://nmblc.org/events/nm-juneteenth/
Blaq Pride 2024: Afrofuturism Now
When: Saturday, June 15, 2024, 12pm-5pm, 9pm
Where: Civic Plaza, Albuquerque Social Club
What else: Take the Blaq Pride Allyship Challenge and experience an interactive art exhibit, Blaq Pride performance preview and The Chocolate Dolls’ “Black to the Future” drag show.
EVENT LINK: https://www.instagram.com/p/C722SkkpJHI
New Mexico 2024 Black Business Summit: Advancing Economic Freedom
When: Saturday, June 15, 2024, 9am – 5pm
Where: Albuquerque Convention Center
What else:
- Business Incubation: Options to Grow and Stabilize New Business
- The Future of Business and Community: Formations for the Future
- 11:15am – 12:45pm Opening Ceremony for the NM Juneteenth Celebration!
- Doing Business with Big Business: Contracting and Procurement
- Building your Freedom Beyond New Mexico: International Trade and Expansion
- Lights, Camera, What About Business?: What Film & TV Industry Means for NM Biz
- Networking Opportunities
- 5pm – 11pm NM Juneteenth Celebration
- Free. Sign up for the New Mexico 2024 Black Business Summit.
Juneteenth Santa Fe!
When: Saturday, June 15, 2024, 3-9pm
Where: Santa Fe Plaza
What else:
- food
- vendors
- poets
- headliners Hot 8 Brass Band straight from New Orleans!
- EVENT LINK: https://nmblc.org/events/santa-fe-juneteenth-celebration-2/
Juneteenth Gospel Showcase Las Cruces
When: Saturday, June 15, 2024, 2pm
Where: Atkinson Recital Hall
What else: EVENT LINK: https://nmblc.org/events/las-cruces-juneteenth-gospel-showcase/
Juneteenth and Fathers Day Celebration
When: Sunday, June 16, 2024, 11am – 5pm
Where: Wilson Park
What else:
- Hosted by The Haven
- Food and fun to celebrate Black dads and Black culture
- EVENT LINK – https://nmblc.org/events/fathers-day-and-juneteenth-celebration/
Juneteenth Golf Classic
When: Wednesday, June 19, 2024
Where: Sandia Golf Club
What else:
- Tournament proceeds will benefit ABC Prep basketball, an elite basketball program led by former NMSU player and Division 1 Coach Brandon Mason.
- Register for the Juneteenth Golf Classic: https://app.eventcaddy.com/events/juneteenth-golf-classic/register
- EVENT LINK – https://nmblc.org/events/juneteenth-golf-classic/
Afrosphere Juneteenth Celebration
When: Thursday, June 20, 2024, 7pm-close
Where: Sister Bar (407 Central Ave NW)
What else:
DJ Ryan Demond & DJ Jaxsun Planet spinning Afrobeats, Afro house, hip-hop, soca, amapiano, R&B, funk & more
Spotlighting Black-owned Businesses and community leaders
Uniting all of us to enjoy music, performance and dance in downtown Albuquerque
EVENT LINK: https://nmblc.org/events/afrosphere-juneteenth-celebration
Juneteenth Jazz and Arts Festival in Las Cruces
When: Thursday, June 20 – Sunday, June 23, 2024
Where: Various venues in Las Cruces
What else:
- Pull Up a Chair with Dr. Timothy E. Nelson
- Jazz jams
- Tony Trejo Trio and Tenia Nelson Trio
- BCC Lush Life Quintet
- Black American Music Showcase
- Soledad Canyon Jazz
- Joe Dunn Big Band
- FREE
- EVENT LINK – https://nmblc.org/events/las-cruces-juneteenth-jazz-arts-festival/
Juneteenth Freedom Day in Rio Rancho
When: Saturday, June 22, 2024, 10am – 2pm
Where: Haynes Community Center and Park, Rio Rancho
What else:
- Food trucks
- Vendors
- Health screenings
- Music
- FREE
- EVENT LINK: https://nmblc.org/events/rio-rancho-juneteenth-freedom-day-2/
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Shannon Moreau is the editor for NMBLC’s EQ Blog
Thanks for a one stop shop for all Juneteenth events
You’re welcome! We’ll keep updating as we find out about new events.