5 Movies and TV Shows to Watch to Better Understand Juneteenth

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Every year on June 19th, Juneteenth is celebrated nationwide in the United States, although it hasn’t always received the attention it merits. This holiday marks the day, back in 1865, when Union soldiers informed the enslaved people of Texas that they were now free, which was over two years after President Abraham Lincoln had signed the Emancipation Proclamation.

Previously unacknowledged as an official federal holiday, Juneteenth gained significant recognition through various forms of media such as television shows and films. This increased visibility helped broaden public awareness about the historical significance of June 19th in the United States, ultimately leading to Former President Joe Biden signing a bill that declared it a federal holiday in 2021.

The magazine, The Hollywood Reporter, has compiled a collection of five films and television programs that offer insight into the importance and symbolism behind Juneteenth.

    Miss Juneteenth

    2020 film by Channing Godfrey Peoples tells the story of Turquoise Jones (Nicole Beharie), a single mom residing in Fort Worth, who yearns for her daughter Kai (Alexis Chikaeze) to join the Miss Juneteenth pageant that Turquoise herself had won earlier. Kai is indifferent about participating, but eventually agrees due to her mother’s wishes. The main reason Turquoise wants Kai to win is because the grand prize offers a fully-funded education at any historically Black university.

    In a review of “Miss Juneteenth,” THR’s primary film critic, David Rooney, noted that the film not only celebrates the holiday for which it is titled, but also highlights the struggles and achievements of African American women throughout the generations who have fought for dignity and self-identity in circumstances that frequently impede their progress.

    Black-ish, “Juneteenth” 

    In October 2017, the fourth season opener of Black-ish was broadcasted, featuring an episode titled “Juneteenth.” This musical episode depicted the Johnson family attending their twins’ school play that focused on Columbus Day. However, Dre (Anthony Anderson) found the historical representation in the storyline problematic and collaborated with Aloe Blacc to produce a song celebrating Juneteenth instead.

    Kenya Barris, the creator of Black-ish, revealed to THR that Vicki Dummer, a former executive at ABC, had expressed concerns about the “Juneteenth” episode causing discomfort among the white audience. Regardless of these worries, they proceeded with the episode, and it turned out to be a success.

    He remarked, “Vicki, you’re referring to the episode where discussing slavery makes white people uncomfortable, doesn’t it? That’s funny isn’t it, the irony of it?” We found humor in the situation. Later, we decided to air it and the episode was well-received. Vicki was doing her job, but this sparked a disagreement within the network.

    The episode garnered such widespread appeal and was forward-thinking that it was revealed back in 2018 that a stage musical inspired by the episode was under development. Kenan Ivory Wayans was slated to collaborate with Peter Saji on the script, while Pharrell Williams was assigned to pen, produce, and create the music. However, as of now, the adaptation has not been produced yet.

    In a 2018 article about the stage production, David Rooney from THR described the episode as follows: “This witty and pointed segment quickly became a classic, masterfully tying contemporary African-American middle-class life to the nation’s harsh history of oppression and struggle.

    Both him and Barris pointed out that following the airing of the episode, Juneteenth appeared on Apple’s calendar (iCal) prior to it being declared a federal holiday, as well.

    Atlanta, “Juneteenth” 

    In the ninth episode of the first season of Atlanta, Earn (Donald Glover) and Van (Zazie Beetz) go to a Juneteenth celebration hosted by an interracial couple. The husband, Craig (Rick Holmes), seems overly fixated on Black history, yet during this day meant for celebration, he also makes stereotypical jokes and mockeries about it. (At the party, drink choices include “Underground Rumroad” and “Plantation Master Poison.”)

    According to Dan Fienberg, the TV critic for THR, this episode of Atlanta was considered a significant beginning in television’s acknowledgment of Juneteenth, which occurred on June 19, 2020.

    #blackAF, “still… because of slavery”

    Additionally, #blackAF features the creator of Black-ish in a fictional role that represents him, or as Dan Fienberg from THR describes it, “the show #blackAF is either brutally self-critical or deceptively untruthful about the concept of ‘Kenya Barris’ as a character.

    In the third episode, the family is getting ready for a Juneteenth celebration. Although the Juneteenth episodes in both “#blackAF” and “Black-ish” have separate narratives and messages, Fienberg noted that “Black-ish” has previously addressed this holiday. He wrote, “If the depiction of Black achievements, sexualization of young black women, and celebration of Juneteenth seem like things “Black-ish” often deals with or has handled, that’s the idea.

    High on the Hog 

    High on the Hog” sets itself apart from these other entries primarily due to its focus on African American culinary traditions. Through each episode, the series delves into the ingenuity of this cuisine, explores its history, and honors its future, as described by THR‘s arts and culture critic Lovia Gyarkye in her review. Notably, the TV series was inspired by Jessica B. Harris’ book with the same title.

    In a deeply emotional moment, host Stephen Satterfield and Harris visit Ouidah, a former slave port, to pay tribute to the enslaved individuals who perished before their voyage to the Americas. Atop a mass grave, Harris describes the usual food given to slaves – a mixture of palm oil, flour, and pepper. He also explains how white colonizers attempted to force-feed them when they refused. ‘The only power the newly enslaved possessed was the power of refusal,’ Harris states. ‘Resistance was inherent in every step of their journey.’

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2025-06-20 00:24