Miss Juneteenth Is a Fictional Film, but It Highlights a Real Celebration of Black Beauty
In Miss Juneteenth , actress Nicole Beharie stars as Turquoise Jones, a single mom and former beauty queen who is readying her teenage daughter (played by Alexis Chikaeze) to follow in her footsteps and compete in a Miss Juneteeth pageant. Though the story is fictional, the film, directed by Channing Godfrey Peoples , highlights a very real celebration of Black beauty that's been around for years. Juneteenth is a holiday that was created to commemorate the abolition of slavery in Texas two years after the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863. As evidenced by its name - which is a blend of the words "June" and "19th" - the holiday normally falls on June 19 and is celebrated in several cities throughout the US with a corresponding pageant. Aside from honoring the holiday, the Miss Juneteenth pageant was created as a way to educate young Black women on their history. The main event is usually held in Fort Worth, TX, though dozens of other cities have held versions