Juneteenth is a holiday celebrated on June 19th to commemorate the emancipation of enslaved people in the US. The holiday was first celebrated in Texas, where on that date in 1865, in the aftermath of the Civil War, the news of the 1863 Emancipation Proclamation ending slavery finally reached that region. It is now a federal holiday.
In 2024, the national theme for Black History Month was “African Americans and the Arts,” intended to highlight the many impacts Black Americans have had on visual arts, music, cultural movements, and more. As part of the celebration of Juneteenth in Hingham this year, the Hingham Unity Council is inviting all students in grades Pre K-12 who live and/or attend school on the South Shore to share their views on the theme: What does the rich cultural legacy of Black Americans mean to me and/or my community? Students are invited to participate in a competition where they can express or reflect on this through a work of visual or performance art, an essay or other written work. Students are invited to submit an essay, poem, a piece of visual art (drawing, painting, sculpture – any medium of expression is welcome!), a video or original song or other performance to the Juneteenth committee.
To enter, please send your submission to info@hinghamunity.org by Friday, May 31, 2024. Please also use this email to contact us to arrange adjudication of any physical submissions as well. Please include your name, grade, school and contact information as part of the submission. Students are permitted to submit more than one entry if they desire. This year, the Hingham Public Library will display the entries for public viewing!
There will be a winner from grades Pre K-2, one from grades 3-6 and one from 7-12. Each will receive a $50 gift card and the winning submission from each group will be announced at the HUC’s Juneteenth celebration on Wednesday, June 19th from 3-6 pm at the Hingham Harbor Bandstand
Please send any questions to info@hinghamunity.org
