Another Juneteenth Message

Don't worry white people. July Fourth is just around the corner.

 

Holiday Haiku

No work this Friday
We're celebrating Juneteenth!
White people, calm down.

 

Happy Juneteenth!

Marking Juneteenth

Navah The Buddaphliii's poem is gloriously paired with artwork by PT Russell. Grateful for their work today in Oddball Magazine. 

Happy Juneteenth

 

 

White people, please stop complaining about having a day off. Let it go.

 

New Call for Submissions

Send us your Juneteenth poems. Either dedicated to June nineteenth or June thirteenth.

Anticipation

I wonder if we’ll have two Juneteenths to celebrate after today. 

Happy Juneteenth

I have a wake to go to later today. I won't be going to any special events held by friends. 

I'll be reduced to liking all my friends' post on social media. 

I hope the rest of you celebrate safely, responsibly, thoughtfully. 

This is still a new holiday. I hope we don't screw it up like we have all the other holidays.

In Advance

I want to thank everyone who made Juneteenth a holiday. 

I just remembered that I'll have next Monday off, and I can't wait.

I'm sidestepping the whole outright racist backlash against the holiday for the moment.

Right now, I'm tired of people complaining about having an extra holiday out of the year.

Which, now that I think about it, is very likely still a racist complaint that's just trying to hide its racism by saying, Day off from work? Boo. 

As if we're already spoiled for time off. 

As if anyone is enjoying their employment that much.

I'm always working. I'll be working during Juneteenth, I'm sure.

I just won't be working at my job. And for that, I thank everyone who made it possible.

As a white man, the holiday probably shouldn't benefit me, but I'm grateful that it does. 

Maybe I'll find a way to share my gratitude next Monday. 

Or maybe kicking back will be enough. 

Either way, thank you.

This Week's Friendly Reminder

After the first federally recognized Juneteenth, it's fitting that we end the holiday weekend off with a picture of this sign seen in Mattapan

. 

Where Now?

Seven years ago today, Janet Cormier first column about Juneteenth. Here's her followup

A special Bamboozled No More! for the holiday at Oddball Magazine. 

This is More Like It

A Juneteenth slam poem by Ben Aragbaye.

Happy Juneteenth

Reflections from Toni Bee, Cierra Moore,Ayesha Wilson and Leon "Lizzle4" Fyfield,

Words to Commemorate the New Holiday

Happy Juneteenth weekend. Here is a new poem by Deta Galloway. Thank you for reading Oddball Magazine. 

Edit: By "new holiday," I mean "newly recognized federal holiday." Clarification is important.

The Slave Narrative of Willie Mae by Ifé Franklin

 For more information, read Liza Zayas' The Underground Garden at Oddball Magazine. 

What Did You Do on June 19?

James recounts this year's heated day in this week's poem column. It's All One Thing is up now at Oddball Magazine. 

Happy Anniversary, Janet

Six years ago, Janet published her first Bamboozled No More! column on Juneteenth 2014 (on the subject of Juneteenth itself, no less).

We celebrate six years of her column today on Juneteenth 2020.

Congratulations to Janet from Oddball Magazine.

Happy Juneteenth

T.G.I.F.

Maybe he commemorate Juneteenth by disappearing without a trace.

Inspired by DL Polonsky.

Happy Anniversary, Janet Cormier

Thanks to a scheduling change, Oddball Magazine columnist Janet Cormier gets to publish her one year anniversary column the very day she published her first piece. And it remains a significant day outside of Janet's accomplishments. Revisit history and read her latest Bamboozled No More! "Juneteenth Again!"