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. 

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. 

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

NMBLC breaks down what Juneteenth is about and lists Juneteenth 2021 celebrations happening this weekend.

What is Juneteenth?

Juneteenth is a celebration of the end of slavery in the United States. The first death blow to slavery was dealt with the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863. In actuality, the practice of slavery did not end until over two years later. On June 19, 1865, the last of the enslaved people in Galveston Texas were informed by Union troops that slavery had been abolished. “Juneteenth” is a conjugation of “June” and “nineteenth.” The first official Juneteenth celebration took place the following year in Texas. As Black people migrated from Texas to other parts of the country, the Juneteenth tradition spread.

Today, 47 states, including New Mexico, recognize or observe Juneteenth. The push to make it a national holiday now has a chance for success. On Tuesday, June 15, 2021, a bill to make Juneteenth a US holiday passed unanimously in the Senate. UPDATED: On Wednesday, June 16, 2021, the House passed the bill 415-14. On Thursday, June 17, 2021, President Joe Biden signed the bill into law .

Rising Awareness of Juneteenth

It’s not uncommon, even among Black people, to not really know what Juneteenth is. I didn’t hear about it until well into adulthood. I took even longer to know what it was about. 

It was this lack of national awareness that inspired the famous “Juneteenth” episode of the sitcom Black-ish. In the episode, Anthony Anderson’s character grapples with the fact that he and his family don’t celebrate the holiday and possibly don’t want to, since it’s a reminder of the enslavement of African and African American people in the U.S. This real day conflict is interspersed with musical numbers explaining slavery, emancipation, and the oppression that followed. Even now it feels incredible that the episode aired on mainstream television.

Celebrate Juneteenth 2021 in New Mexico at one of these events  

How will you celebrate Juneteenth this year? Whether it’s firing up the grill, watching your favorite Black shows, or just taking a moment to be thankful, Juneteenth 2021 is a chance to celebrate freedom. With the state opening up this summer, there are opportunities to share this joy in person. Scroll down for some Juneteenth 2021 events happening this weekend.

New Mexico Juneteenth 2021: “To A Higher Ground”

Friday, June 18– Sunday, June 20, 2021
Civic Plaza, Downtown Albuquerque

Spend a weekend celebrating the deep rooted Black culture in New Mexico. This festival is for the community and put on by members of the community.

New Mexico Black Voters Collaborative (NMBVC) will have a booth at this Juneteenth event and is hosting a meet and greet with New Mexico legislators on Saturday, June 19th from 6PM to 7PM. Elected officials joining NMBVC are Representative Melanie Stansbury, State Senator Harold Pope, Jr., and Chief Public Defender Bennett Baur. 

For the event details, click here.

For the Facebook event, click here.

Must RSVP for this free event. To RSVP, click here.

The People’s Juneteenth 2021

Saturday, June 19, 2021 4:30PM -9:30PM
Dennis Chavez Community Center, Southeast Albuquerque

A Hood by Hood Block by Block Event.

United in continuing to bring the Black/African community here in Albuquerque.

For the event details, click here.

Celebrate Juneteenth Love and Happiness Get Down

Saturday, June 19, 2021 6:00PM–10:00PM
Historic Santa Fe Plaza, Santa Fe

Come celebrate LOVE & HAPPINESS  with A Soul, Funk, Motown + Latin Get Down!

For the event details, click here.

Juneteenth Jazz Festival at the Branigan Cultural Center Virtual Event

Friday, June 18 – Saturday, June 19, 2021
Online, courtesy of the City of Las Cruces

Experience the power of jazz, history, and Black Movements with this celebration of Juneteenth and jazz!

For the event details, click here.

The events will take place fully online and can be accessed at the link: https://rebrand.ly/JuneteenthJazz

Juneteenth Celebration 2021

Saturday, June 19, 2021, 6:00PM
NMSU Presley Askew Baseball Field, Las Cruces

Black Student Association, ASNMSU, and Black Programs at New Mexico State University (NMSU) invite you to educate, liberate, and commemorate.

For the event details, click here.

Juneteenth New Mexico NJOF 2021 Espanola

Saturday, June 19—Sunday, June 19, 2021
Plaza de Española Mision Museum and Education Center, Northern New Mexico College, Ranchitos Park

New Mexico National Juneteenth Observance Foundation is organizing its first Juneteenth celebration in Espanola.

For the event details, click here.