Photo courtesy of Joyce Ward.

This Sunday, on June 19th, 2022, the nation’s youngest federal Holiday will be celebrated once again. The Juneteenth National Independence Day Act, passed by Congress in June 2021 and signed by President Biden on June 17th, 2021, federally recognized a holiday which so many across the country have celebrated since its inception.

The holiday commemorates the emancipation of the enslaved people in Galveston, Texas on June 19th, 1865 - two years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. Now, the holiday serves as a reminder of the strength and resiliency of the African-American community and a look forward into creating a better future for this nation.

The holiday’s legacy lives on through Juneteenth Music Entertainment, a label for independent artists to tell African-American history through music. “Look at African American musical storylines back into the last century, much of our history is told through story. One of the reasons that I made this label was because when Biden made Juneteenth the Federal Holiday, I really wanted to do something that could impact others and make a difference. Juneteenth is the American story and belongs to every last one of us. It’s a celebration of the legacy African Americans have left for us, through music,” says Joyce Ward, President and Founder of Juneteenth Music Entertainment.

In preparation for the company’s first world tour - a trip to Ghana, where the holiday is also celebrated - Juneteenth Music Entertainment released their new song, “Our Legacy Lives Forever” by Joyce Ward, featuring P. Manzell Bledsoe. “We recorded a live video of us performing “Our Legacy Lives Forever” at on June 10th. After that, we will be in Galveston, Texas to celebrate the holiday on the 17th,” says Ward.

Juneteenth Music Entertainment’s trip to Ghana will feature a collaboration with artist Hakeem Shabazz and the premiere of two new songs, “Save the Children” and “Mama Africa is Calling You”.

Photo courtesy of Joyce Ward.

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