This Juneteenth, Benicia Black Lives Matter, with co-sponsorship by the Benicia Public Library, the City’s V.I.B.E. Team, and Ethnic Notions Fine Art Gallery & Bookstore, will commemorate the holiday with a screening of John Burris: The Godfather of Police Litigation, a powerful documentary chronicling the 40-year career of civil rights attorney John Burris and his work confronting police misconduct. Produced by Doug Harris, the film highlights landmark cases including Rodney King, Oscar Grant, and the Oakland Riders scandal.
The program will begin with an introduction to situate the documentary within a broader historical context, examining policing practices from the late 19th century—particularly as slave patrols survelled, chased and detained runaway and newly freed slaves both prior to and after their enfranchisement as citizens—through to modern reforms such as the Racial Identity and Profiling Act (RIPA). The screening will be followed by a Q&A session with Burris, offering attendees an opportunity for deeper engagement and dialogue.
Radical Reparations
Thursday, June 19
6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Benicia Public Library and Zoom
In honor of Juneteenth, the Benicia Public Library and Benicia Black Lives Matter invite the community to a powerful and timely program titled “Radical Reparations: Unpacking Freedom and Justice on Juneteenth.” This free event will take place on Thursday, June 19, 2025, from 6:30 to 8:30 PM at the Benicia Public Library and will also be available via Zoom.
Join us for a thought-provoking discussion featuring Dr. Marcus Anthony Hunter, scholar of race, politics, and African American life, California State Assemblymember Isaac Bryan and Brandon L. Greene, Esq., civil rights attorney and advocate. Together, they will explore the concept of radical reparations—examining its historical roots, current implications, and potential pathways toward justice and healing for Black Americans.
Juneteenth commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans and invites reflection on the continuing struggle for equity. This program encourages open dialogue and deeper understanding of what true freedom and reparative justice look like in today’s America.
This event is free and open to all. For more information or to receive the Zoom link, please contact the Library at (707) 746-4343 or visit www.benicialibrary.org.
Black lives matter! And multiracial solidarity is increasingly important in our times as we confront a powerful and coordinated renewal of overt white nationalism.
…..– Roger Straw, Editor
… >> Celebrate Juneteenth with this delicious poem by Amena Brown…
JUNETEENTH
We carry liberation in our cheekbones We fold the stories of our ancestors Into song Into science Into fashion Into food Into innovation We follow the recipe in the legacy of our people And it is there we nourish ourselves
We gather Here Together To bring ourselves to a table where love is always served Let’s come home to each other We are our own harvest We are our own healing place
We gather Here Together To heal To remind ourselves of a freedom song To sing for those who may not feel like singing To sing for those who are no longer here to sing To honor the freedom we have And fight for the freedom we have yet to see
We rest and we protest We pick beans and pop gum We pontificate We fix grandma a plate
Our joy is our resistance Our beauty is our glory Our courage is our resilience Our freedom is written in the follicles of our hair In each other We have strength for the journey …………………………………………Amena Brown, 2021
[Note from BenIndy editor: Black lives matter! And multiracial solidarity is increasingly important in our times as we confront a powerful and coordinated renewal of overt white nationalism. – Roger Straw]
Please join Benicia Black Lives Matter for an important event in honor of Juneteenth 2025.
[Note from BenIndy editor: Mark your calendar now! Multiracial solidarity is increasingly important in our times as we confront a powerful and coordinated renewal of overt white nationalism. – Roger Straw]
Please join Benicia Black Lives Matter for an important event in honor of Juneteenth 2025.
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