Juneteenth marks June 19, 1865 — the day enslaved people in Galveston, Texas learned they were free, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation declared slavery illegal.
On the Northside of Corpus Christi, one juke joint owner is using the holiday to celebrate that history through art, music and community.
Black art covers the walls. A Black American flag sits front and center.
As Lilian Beasley gets her juke joint ready for a weekend of Juneteenth celebrations, she said the history behind the holiday is what she hopes people remember.
"I want everyone to remember this Juneteenth weekend as a togetherness," Beasley said.
Customer Richard James echoed that sentiment.
"One of the only times we really come together is when it's Juneteenth," James said.
That togetherness is visible throughout the room — from the domino tables to the pool tables, and in the artwork celebrating Black American history and culture. Some pieces pay tribute to the blues, a music genre created by Black Americans that went on to influence generations of music.
When asked what the Black American flag means to her, Beasley didn't hesitate.
"I think of my ancestors," Beasley said.
She also spoke to the deeper roots of the holiday.
"The heritage really is coming from down here even though Galveston is where they went into," Beasley said.
Beasley said keeping that heritage alive is necessary — especially as the only female Black-owned bar owner in Corpus Christi.
"I am the only female black owned bar owner in Corpus," Beasley said.
This Juneteenth weekend, she is opening her doors and hoping people leave with a deeper understanding of the history that continues to shape America today. Beasley said Juneteenth is more than just a day off from work, and as America reaches its 250th anniversary, she said it is not just Black history — but American history.
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