Juneteenth, a federal holiday that commemorates the end of slavery in the United States, is coming up on Friday; but it’s far from the only day Black lives, impact, history and issues should be highlighted, said Tracy Jones with the Southwest Movement 4 Black Lives.
She said engagement and activism related to Black issues, experiences and history peak during certain times of year – including around Juneteenth. But that kind of attention is needed year-round, she said.
“It would be great if people could stay focused and plugged into what’s going on,” she said. “... We definitely saw the (attendance) numbers drop for everything (after 2020), but the issues are still the same.”
The activism and outrage sparked in 2020, when the Black Lives Matter movement reached a fever pitch, was encouraging, Jones said – but some of that momentum has slowed as residents and mainstream media have moved on to other topics.
“When we (the Southwest Movement 4 Black Lives) started in 2020, it was around everything that happened with George Floyd and people – and Black Lives Matter movements (were) going – and it was the most attendance we’ve had for any of our rallies and speeches,” she said. “Our first Juneteenth had over 500 people. We haven’t had that amount since, because it’s kind of like rid(ing) a wave, and I think (people) want to tap into what’s happening nationally, but then it trickles down, and they don’t really stay connected.”
Jones said some ways to show up for the Black community year round – not just on holidays like Juneteenth – include reaching out to local organizations like the Southwest Movement 4 Black Lives and the Fort Lewis College Black Student Union to find out about upcoming events and opportunities; seeking allyship training and being intentional about listening and educating oneself.
“That takes being very intentional – seeking out that knowledge and educating yourself,” she said. “And (that’s possible), especially since there is a Black organization here in town to join, who you’re able to do that with – (come) to the events, (come) to the meetings.”
Juneteenth, which marks the day in 1865 when Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, to enforce the Emancipation Proclamation over two years after it was initially issued, commemorates a “moral awakening” in the country, Jones said.
“I think everyone should be celebrating, because it is American history; it’s the history of our country,” she said. “You can think of it as this moral awakening – this change that (was) happening in our country for both sides – and it should be celebrated, just like Fourth of July is.”
Black families and communities have long gotten together to have cookouts and gatherings to commemorate the day – even before it became a federal holiday, Jones said.
“It’s always been celebrated, just not by everyone,” she said.
Jones said all residents and community members, regardless of ethnicity or race, are welcome to attend a Juneteenth celebration organized by the Southwest Movement 4 Black Lives from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. June 19 in Buckley Park.
“It’s not just for Black people,” she said. “I mean, of course, it’s the freedom of Black people, but it’s part of our history, and everyone can celebrate.”
Some federal actions by the Trump administration have made celebrating and standing up for Black lives year-round even more necessary, she said.
“Although we’re celebrating freedom, (we) still have a lot more progress to make,” Jones said. “... I feel like with this new administration, they’re trying to reverse all of that, and trying to ignore – and even change – history.”
The Trump administration has moved to restore Confederate monuments and reinstate original Confederate names of major U.S. military bases; ordered the removal of historical exhibits and visuals depicting slavery from places like the Independence Hall in Philadelphia and Fort Pulaski in Georgia; and signed executive orders limiting and restricting certain federal programs and educational materials that cover systemic racism or unconscious bias, among other actions.
“It’s just (an attempt) to diminish what Black heroes and leaders have done for this country – minimizing our efforts and essentially saying we don’t matter,” Jones said.
Trump also removed Juneteenth and Martin Luther King Jr. Day from the National Park Service free entry days list. Trump added June 14 – which is both his own birthday and Flag Day – in their place.
“(Trump is) ... making it seem like it’s something we shouldn’t be proud of, or it’s something that is not American,” she said. “That’s what he’s saying: (That those holidays) shouldn’t be honored or acknowledged.”
For more information
For more information about upcoming meetings, events and opportunities to engage meaningfully, email the Southwest Movement 4 Black Lives at swm4blacklives@gmail.com.
”It can be challenging to build Black community and feel respected in a predominantly white area like Durango, Jones said. But she’s seen the community show up – like when activism arose in 2024 surrounding a Durango School District flags and symbols policy that temporarily banned Pride and Black Lives Matter flags from classrooms – and moments like that have given her hope.
“(People) tell me, ‘You need to leave, too – you need to go somewhere that’s more diverse, (and) this is not it’ ... and I kind of try to combat that with, ‘Well, let’s build community: let’s have each other,’” she said.
Jones said her view of a successful Juneteenth celebration this year is Black community members feeling welcome and able to safely celebrate, and non-Black people learning about Black culture and the meaning of Juneteenth. But she also hopes action and attention from the wider community doesn’t taper out when the clock strikes midnight on June 19.
Jones said she hopes Durango will be remembered in history as a place where residents used their voices and took action, and leadership fought against injustice – not just on calendar days that tend to draw temporary attention, but consistently throughout the year.
“Showing up and using our voices and protesting, (and) just seeing the community unite and take action – that’s what I would hope we could look back on and say, ‘We did that,’” she said.
epond@durangoherald.com
