Juneteenth

Celebrate. Educate. Create.

About Juneteenth

Known as America’s Second Independence Day or Emancipation Day, Juneteenth became a federal holiday in 2021 and a Minnesota state holiday in 2023. Since 2022, the Minnesota Humanities Center has hosted an annual series of commemorative events to cultivate greater awareness and understanding of America’s history.

250 years ago, the founders of our nation declared that all men are born with the inalienable rights to life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness. As we acknowledge the anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, commemorating Juneteenth, celebrating the resiliency of African Americans, and examining whether the promise of America’s second Independence Day is being realized seems even more poignant.

Questions?

Have a question or comment about our Juneteenth programming? Contact Casey Demarais at:

casey@mnhum.org

We black folk, our history and our present being, are a mirror of all the manifold experiences of America. What we want, what we represent, what we endure is what America is. – Richard Wright

Since 2021, the Minnesota Humanities Center (MHC) has proudly partnered with Monique Linder, Founder/CEO of OMG Media Solutions / Film Director at OMG Studios, to produce the Juneteenth Reckoning with Slavery documentary film series—a groundbreaking body of work that invites audiences to confront the truth of enslavement in America, examine its enduring legacy, and imagine a more just future through the power of historical storytelling.

The Juneteenth Reckoning with Slavery film series brings together distinguished legal scholars, historians, educators, cultural leaders, and descendants of the African diaspora whose voices illuminate the forces that shaped America. Featured contributors include Professor Sherrilyn Ifill, Judge Jerry Blackwell, Bryan Stevenson, Dr. Duchess Harris, Dr. Josie R. Johnson, King Odeneho Kwafo Akoto III of the Akwamu Traditional Area in Ghana, Queen Mother Nana Afrakoma II, Dr. Christopher P. Lehman, and MHC CEO Kevin Lindsey, among many others.

Together, the films reveal the historical, legal, political, and cultural foundations of The Making of America, connecting past injustices to the realities of the present while inspiring pathways toward truth, reconciliation, and collective understanding.

The latest film, The Making of America, will tour Minnesota over the next few months, accompanied by community conversations, educational engagement, and public dialogue extending the series’ mission to transform historical knowledge into civic action. Following the tour, The Making of America will join the complete Juneteenth Reckoning with Slavery collection, making this powerful educational resource accessible to audiences online for years to come.

Reconstruction Destructed, sixth in the “Juneteenth Reckoning with Slavery” film series, aims to shine a light on the most misunderstood period in American History and why it remains critically important to understand today. “It challenges our understanding of the impact of slavery and its ongoing impact throughout the United States,” said Monique Linder, Film Director and CEO, OMG Studios. “As our nation struggles to come to grips with our history of racial caste, the legal luminaries, civil rights leaders, and educational scholars are excellent guides not only to illuminate the past but more importantly to provide a path forward,” added Kevin Lindsey, CEO, Minnesota Humanities Center.

View more Juneteenth videos on the Minnesota Humanities Center’s Juneteenth Vimeo Page.

From Dr. Christopher P. Lehman, professor of Ethnic Studies at St. Cloud State University, Minnesota Book Award winner, MHC’s Ruth Reister Minnesota History Awardee, and featured thought leader in this years’ Juneteenth documentary film:

It Took Courage: Eliza Winston’s Quest for Freedom, published by the Minnesota Historical Society Press (2024)
Slavery’s Reach: Southern Slaveholders in the North Star State, published by the Minnesota Historical Society Press (2019)

African American stories – books, videos and websites – housed in MHC’s Absent Narratives Resource Collection, sortable by grade level and content discipline

Senses of Freedom: Exploring the Tastes, Sounds and Experiences of an African American Celebration from the National Museum of African American History and Culture

Black and Thriving from the NAACP

We are so grateful to our sponsors, partners, and guests for joining us in commemorating Juneteenth. Together, we listened to amazing speakers, shared delicious food prepared by talented chefs, watched actors, film, and artists embracing history, connected with friends new and old, and celebrated with community.

It is an honor to share the messages of Juneteenth with the supporters of MHC’s work. Thank you to all for being an important part of our 2026 offerings!

2026 Juneteenth Commemoration Sponsors

Corporate, community and philanthropic support help us bring programming to the people of Minnesota. Thank you to the following partners for their generous sponsorship of MHC’s 2026 Juneteenth commemoration.