Celebrating Juneteenth

Electra Valentine

Josh Watt

Mary Iyi

In this special post, Mary Iyi, Electra Valentine and Josh Watt, the newest members of the IP & ME committee, celebrate “Juneteenth” by explaining its history, its current symbolism, and what it means for IP professionals in the UK.

What is Juneteenth?

Juneteenth, celebrated annually on 19 June, is a powerful and historic holiday that marks the end of slavery in the United States. It symbolises both liberation and delayed justice. It commemorates the day in 1865 when Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, and informed enslaved African Americans that they were free, more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation.

The name “Juneteenth” blends “June” and “nineteenth”, representing the delayed freedom of enslaved people in the deepest parts of the South. Although the Emancipation Proclamation took effect on 1 January 1863, its enforcement depended heavily on the advance of Union soldiers. Texas, the most remote Confederate state, was the last to receive the news and fully implement emancipation.

Major General Gordon Granger delivered the news in Galveston with General Order No. 3, which stated:

“The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free.”

That moment sparked spontaneous celebrations among the newly freed, and Juneteenth became a day of joy, remembrance and community gathering.

How is Juneteenth Celebrated?

Over time, African American communities across the country began to honour Juneteenth with parades, picnics, prayer services, music and readings of the Emancipation Proclamation. Though widely celebrated in Black communities for generations, Juneteenth only became a federal holiday in the United States in 2021, when President Joe Biden signed it into law.

Today, it stands not only as a celebration of freedom but also as a time to reflect on ongoing struggles for racial justice and equality. Common traditions include parades, festivals and community events, often featuring live music, dancing, poetry readings and cultural performances honouring African American heritage.

Food plays a central role. Many families and friends come together for BBQs, cookouts and picnics. You’ll often see red foods and drinks such as watermelon, strawberry soda and red velvet cake, symbolising resilience and the bloodshed in the fight for freedom. Many people also choose to support Black-owned businesses and restaurants during this period.

Beyond celebration, Juneteenth is also a time for education and remembrance. Communities host lectures, museum exhibitions and historical re-enactments to teach about the legacy of slavery, the Emancipation Proclamation and the ongoing struggle for civil rights. It is often celebrated with story-telling events and art shows to recognise the journey to freedom.

Juneteenth provides an opportunity to celebrate Black culture while honouring the past, embracing the present, and looking towards the future.

Why Juneteenth Matters to Us – Reflections for IP Professionals here in the UK

In the UK, our own history, such as the 1833 Abolition of Slavery Act, also carries a legacy of delayed justice and structural inequality. Slavery may have ended on paper decades earlier, but compensation went to former slave owners, not the enslaved, speaking volumes about who was valued in law and policy. These decisions shaped the foundations of any modern institutions, including those in law and innovation.

For professionals in structured and technical fields like our own, Juneteenth can serve as a moment to question how much has really changed. Do the systems we work with serve all communities equally? Or do we still see delays in justice through under-representation, limited access, or cultural exclusion?

Recent data highlights stark disparities. Around 19% of UK lawyers are from minority ethnic backgrounds, but only 3% identify as Black. In the IP profession, the 2021 IPReg survey showed very low minority ethnic representation among patent and trade mark attorneys, though it didn’t break down the figures by specific ethnicity. Among barristers, only 3.2% are Black, and just 3% among solicitors. Innovate UK data shows that only 5% of applicants and 1% of grant recipients identify as Black, despite Black people making up 4.4% of the population in England and Wales.

These figures point to a clear pattern: while there may be surface-level diversity, Black and other minority ethnic background professionals remain under-represented, especially in technical legal sectors like IP. This isn’t just a pipeline issue. It raises questions around visibility of the profession, access to necessary qualifications, and availability of targeted support. It also shapes the self-concept of those who feel they belong in the spaces that influence the future of science, technology and creativity. IP is about protecting innovation, and if access to that system is unequal, the consequences are systemic.

Awareness is only the starting point. The real test is whether firms, regulators and individuals take steps to shift long-standing patterns. Outreach to under-represented STEM students, structured mentoring for under-represented trainees, and transparency in hiring and promotions are all small but meaningful ways to begin changing the narrative.

Juneteenth isn’t a UK holiday, but it can still provide a meaningful moment here. Juneteenth gives us a chance to ask how freedom, opportunity and justice are distributed today, not just historically. This is exactly why communities like IP & ME matter. Our goal is to raise awareness, push for meaningful change, and create a space where quality isn’t an afterthought, but a shared responsibility. Please get involved! Whether as an ally or as an IP professional from a minority ethnic background, you’ll be most welcome.

References

1. National Archives (US) – The Emancipation Proclamation (1863):
   Emancipation Proclamation | National Archives
2. National Museum of African American History and Culture – Juneteenth:
   The Historical Legacy of Juneteenth | National Museum of African American History and Culture
3. National Archives (US) – General Order No. 3 (1865):
   National Archives Safeguards Original ‘Juneteenth’ General Order | National Archives
4. The White House – Juneteenth National Independence Day Act (2021):
   475 – 117th Congress (2021-2022): Juneteenth National Independence Day Act | Congress.gov | Library of Congress
5. UK Parliament – Slavery Abolition Act 1833:
   Slavery Abolition Act 1833
6. BBC History – The Abolition of Slavery:
   BBC – History: Abolition
7. University College London – Legacies of British Slave-ownership:
   Legacies of British Slavery
8. Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) – Diversity in the legal profession:
   SRA | Diversity in law firms’ workforce | Solicitors Regulation Authority
9. Bar Standards Board – Diversity at the Bar:
   Diversity at the Bar improved again in 2021 but women and people from ethnic minorities are still underrepresented as QCs, says BSB report
10. IPReg – Diversity Survey 2021:
    IPReg Diversity Survey 2021 | The Intellectual Property Regulation Board
11. Innovate UK — Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Report 2021–2022:
    https://www.ukri.org/publications/innovate-uk-applicant-diversity-data/innovate-uk-applicant-diversity-data-2022-to-2023/

Page published on 19th June 2025
Page last modified on 19th June 2025