Juneteenth (short for June Nineteenth) is a holiday created to celebrate the end of slavery in America.
On June 19, 1865, Union soldiers landed in Galveston, Texas with news that the Civil War had ended and that those enslaved were now free. That was two-and-a-half years after President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, which became official January 1, 1863.
Yet 155 years later, the United States of America is still facing racial injustice—tarnishing what should have been a time of celebration.
The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis will hold a virtual show of solidarity on Thursday, June 4, 2020 at 4:00 p.m. during Virtual First Thursday: Juneteenth.
Joining us for the conversation will be two Distinguished Advisors to The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis—Clinical Psychologist Dr. Sheila Triplett, Ph.D., and Councilor Vop Osili, President of the Indianapolis City-County Council. This segment is best for adults only.
“I am heart-broken by the injustice and racism that permeates our nation, our state and our community. As the leader of a museum dedicated to serving all children and families, I believe we have a responsibility to educate and inspire change. The staff of The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis and I stand in solidarity with our Black colleagues, the Black community and all like-minded people around the globe who deplore racism. Injustice leads to the violence that has brought grief to so many families, most recently that of George Floyd. The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis has never shied away from tough topics. For example, The Power of Children exhibit—about empathy, acceptance, and understanding—examines the bravery of three young children who endured atrocious bigotry and yet changed the world.
We know we can do more and we will. We don’t have all of the answers but we are dedicated to working together to create a more equitable and inclusive society. We believe the museum has a civic responsibility to educate ourselves and others about the history and importance of racial justice, and join the fight for all to live a life of freedom, dignity and respect.”
The half-hour show will also feature author Derrick Slack, who will read his book “Orange.” The children’s book addresses diversity, inclusion, the power of words and how to get help when things are difficult. Find a list of other books that may be useful for talking to children about racism, tolerance and acceptance here.
The museum will wrap up the special edition First Thursday show with a performance by the Griot Drum Ensemble, a musical storytelling group that teaches authentic, traditional West African and Diaspora drumming.
The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis is proud to partner with Riley Children’s at Indiana University Health, Old National Bank and Ice Miller LLP.
About The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis
The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis is a nonprofit institution committed to creating extraordinary family learning experiences across the arts, sciences, and humanities that have the power to transform the lives of children and families. For more information about the tourist attraction and museum, please visit www.childrensmuseum.org, follow us on Twitter @TCMIndy, Facebook.com/
