This Juneteenth, our stores will both close an hour earlier than normal to commemorate this unique holiday.
Auburn Store:
Closing at 8PM. Deli closes at 7PM.
Grass Valley Store:
Closing at 9PM. Deli closes at 8PM.
ABOUT THIS HOLIDAY:
On January 1st, 1863, Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which declared that all enslaved people in states engaged in rebellion against the Union “shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free.” The proclamation marked a crucial shift in the focus of the Civil War, turning it from a struggle to preserve the Union into a battle to redefine human rights and end slavery. Though Lincoln’s proclamation would ultimately set a course that would reshape the nation, it had little immediate effect on the more than 250,000 men, women and children still enslaved in southern states that remained loyal to the Confederacy states like Texas.
In Texas, as the Civil War came to a close, there were still thousands of people who remained unaware that the President had declared them free, and for whom life continued as if freedom did not exist. On June 19th , 1865 – two and a half years after the President’s proclamation of emancipation, and months after Lee’s war-ending surrender to Grant – Union Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger, arrived in Galveston, Texas. There, he issued General Order No.3, announcing that all enslaved people were free. This day, now known as Juneteenth, marks the declared emancipation of the last enslaved Black Americans in the U.S. and stands as a powerful symbol of delayed liberation and enduring resistance. Juneteenth was recognized as a federal holiday by President Joe Biden in June 2021 and signed into law.
It is a day of reflection and remembrance – a time to honor the strength, resistance, and resilience of Black Communities, to mourn those who never saw freedom, and recommitting to building a society rooted in equity, liberation and justice for all. The systems that upheld slavery may be gone in name, but their echoes remain in the form of systemic racism, mass incarceration, wealth inequality, and voter suppression. Acknowledging these ongoing injustices is a necessary step in understanding why Juneteenth is not just a historical milestone, but a call to sustained action and solidarity.
In our Co Op world, Juneteenth offers a meaningful opportunity to reconnect with the cooperative principles that guide our work – principles like democratic control, autonomy and independence, concern for community, and diversity, equity & inclusion. It is a time to examine how our systems – internal and external – either advance or obstruct equity and inclusion, and to actively challenge the structures of racism that persist in society and within ourselves.
Here are some things that white-bodied people can do as individuals to celebrate the day:
- Reflect deeply on the generational trauma and enduring legacy of racism in the lives of Black Americans.
- Read & engage with the work of Black historians, poets, authors and community leaders.
- Acknowledge our own power and privilege and use that platform in service of justice and equity.
- Practice courageous conversations about race & racism – even when they are uncomfortable.
- Spend time in spaces with folks who are not like you.
- Listen – really listen – to voices from people with backgrounds that differ from your own.
Juneteenth is both a commemoration and a call to action. It reminds us of the long road toward justice, and the power of collective struggle and community care. As activists for meaningful change, we can celebrate the day as proof that when we rally together, we have the power to effect the changes we seek. And we can use it as a time to participate more fully in all the work that lies ahead.
More Events
Read It & Eat
We are excited to partner with Booktown Books, a local worker cooperative for a book pop-up shop at our Grass Valley store.
Grass Valley Blood Drive
Save lives together this July by donating blood at 200 Litton Drive in Grass Valley right by our store!
Plastic-Free July
In July, we join the #Plastic-freeJuly Movement to help reduce single use plastic! We’ve got lots of ideas for how you can do this, but really it’s up to you to pick one thing (or all the things!) and see if you can eliminate it […]