SALT LAKE CITY — On Friday afternoon, thousands gathered in Salt Lake City to celebrate Juneteenth, the date commemorating the emancipation of slaves, while continuing to protest racial injustice. It was a scene that played out in cities across the United States and the globe on June 19.
In solidarity of celebrating Juneteenth, Black culture and continuing a conversation about racial equality, Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell posted to Instagram a photo that showed a black background and the word “free-ish” in white font on top of “Since 1865” bookended by chain links.
The image, which was widely shared throughout social media on Friday and is often seen on the fronts of T-shirts and hoodies in many variances, references the the Juneteenth emancipation date of 1865 while the ‘ish’ points to the fact that even though legally declared free, Black people have continued to experience inequality and injustice.