Your vote counts! Remember to vote Democrat Nov. 5!
October 22, 2022 - October 28, 2022 The Afro-American A5
Volume 123 No. 20–22 Volume 132 No. 45
$2.00 $1.00
THE BLACKwww.afro.com MEDIA AUTHORITY • AFRO.COM
JUNE 8, 2024 - JUNE 14, 2024
Juneteenth concert features country singer Brittney Spencer, Patti LaBelle and more Invite only event to take place on White House South Lawn
AP Photos
Grammy award-winning artist Kirk Franklin (top left), New Orleans musician Trombone Shorty (center), country singer Brittany Spencer (right) and superstar Patti LaBelle (bottom, left) are just a few of the esteemed entertainers set to make an appearance on the South Lawn of the White House for the 2024 Juneteenth Concert on June 10. By Megan Sayles AFRO Business Writer msayles@afro.com
afro.com
President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden will once again commemorate Black freedom with a Juneteenth Concert on June 10. The musical event will take place
02
7
47105 21847
2
on the South Lawn of the White House, featuring a slate of artists that includes Gladys Knight; Raheem DeVaughn; Doug E. Fresh; Patina Miller; Brittney Spencer; Kirk Franklin; Anthony Hamilton; Patti LaBelle, Trombone Shorty; Roy Wood Jr. and Charlie Wilson. The event takes place during Black Music Month, which acknowledges the
contributions of Black musicians, composers, singers and songwriters. Former President Jimmy Carter established the month-long celebration in 1979, long after African Americans began shaping the course of music. “Black music began when enslaved people, who were cruelly prohibited from communicating in their native languages, found ways to express themselves through
music,” wrote Biden in a May 31 proclamation for Black Music Month. “Set to the sound of African rhythms, they captured the inhumanity, tragedy and toll that America’s original sin took on their lives while also telling the stories of their hopes and dreams, spirituality and love and purpose.” “Ever since, Black performers have carried on that tradition of using
art to break down barriers, create sacred spaces for expression and give voice to the promise of America for all Americans,” he continued. Juneteenth, celebrated on June 19, marks the day Union troops of the American Civil War arrived in Galveston, Texas to announce the end of slavery in 1865—two years after President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation declared Black
people free. Juneteenth became a federal holiday on June 17, 2021 when Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law. Last year, the president’s inaugural Juneteenth Concert showcased artists, like Jennifer Hudson, Ledisi and Method Man. The White House’s 2024 Juneteenth Concert will start at 7 p.m. on June 10.
Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee speaks on cancer diagnosis amid run for re-election By Ashlee Banks Special to the AFRO abanks@afro.com U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, (D-Texas-18) recently announced that she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. The 74-year-old took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to share that she is currently undergoing cancer treatment and will rely on her Democratic colleagues to hold down the fort while she is absent from the U.S. Capitol. “I am confident that my doctors have developed the best possible plan to target my specific disease. The road ahead will not be easy, but I stand in faith that God will strengthen me,” Jackson Lee said in AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough a statement. U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee is looking to once “I am committed to working with our again serve the people of Texas’ 18 District, even Congressional Leadership, including Leader though she is currently also fighting pancreatic Hakeem Jeffries and the Speaker of House, cancer.
Copyright © 2024 by the Afro-American Company
to serve this nation and be present for votes on legislation that is critical for the prosperity and security of the American people,” the Texas Democrat added.
“She will win the general election no matter what happens.” The congresswoman has held her congressional seat for 30 years and is running for re-election after a failed attempt to become the mayor of Houston. Many Democrats do not believe her cancer diagnosis will hinder her chances of being re-elected in November. U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas-30) stated Continued on A3