Juneteenth Celebrations Scaled Back Due to Funding Cuts

Juneteenth celebrations across the country have been significantly scaled back this year due to a lack of funding. This comes as companies and municipalities reassess their support for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. The reduction in financial backing coincides with a broader trend of businesses distancing themselves from LGBTQ celebrations for Pride this year and President Donald Trump's efforts to dismantle DEI programs within the federal government.

In Denver, for instance, more than a dozen companies withdrew their support for the Juneteenth Music Festival, one of the city's largest celebrations of the holiday. Norman Harris, the executive director of JMF Corporation, which organizes the event, noted the significant impact of these withdrawals. "There were quite a few sponsors who pulled back their investments or let us know they couldn’t or wouldn’t be in a position to support this year," Harris said. The festival, which is held in the historically Black Five Points neighborhood, has been reduced to a one-day event instead of two due to budget constraints. Individual donations and support from foundations have kept the festival afloat.

Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when the last enslaved people in Texas were informed of their freedom, two years after President Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation. The holiday has been celebrated by Black Americans for generations and gained wider recognition after becoming a federal holiday in 2021. Following the 2020 murder of George Floyd, many companies sought to make their branding more inclusive. However, this trend has slowed down in recent years due to backlash from conservatives and the perception that such efforts do not significantly impact revenue, according to Dionne Nickerson, a marketing professor at Emory University. Some companies are now unable to support Juneteenth celebrations due to economic uncertainty, according to Sonya Grier, a marketing professor at American University.

State and local governments, which often hold or fund these celebrations, have also scaled back their support. The governor's office in West Virginia announced that the state will not host any Juneteenth events this year due to a budget deficit. Republican Gov. Patrick Morrisey signed a bill to end all diversity programs last month. "Due to the continued fiscal challenges facing West Virginia, state government will not be sponsoring any formal activities," said deputy press secretary Drew Galang. In Scottsdale, Arizona, the City Council dissolved its DEI office in February, leading to the cancellation of the city's annual Juneteenth festival. In Colorado Springs, Colorado, event organizers had to change locations due to fewer sponsors and reduced city funding. Around five companies sponsored the event this year, compared to dozens in previous years, according to Jennifer Smith, a planner for the Southern Colorado Juneteenth Festival. "They have said their budgets have been cut because of DEI," and that they can no longer afford it, she said. Some groups have also cited safety concerns, with planners in Bend, Oregon, mentioning "an increasingly volatile political climate" as a reason for canceling this year's celebration.

Local organizations have also faced budget cuts after the National Endowment for the Arts rescinded funding for numerous grants in May. The Cooper Family Foundation, which hosts one of the largest Juneteenth celebrations in San Diego, was among the groups affected. The foundation was informed that its $25,000 grant was being rescinded because the event no longer aligned with the agency's priorities. The grant money was used to pay for arts and dance performers. The event will still take place this year, but members of the Cooper family will have to cover the costs. "That’s $25,000 we have to figure out how we’re going to pay for," said Marla Cooper, who leads the foundation. "We will always have Juneteenth. And we will work it out," she added.