will cnn juneteenth concert be rebroadcast?
Virtually every major genre of music will be represented in the lineup, including R&B, classical, hip-hop, country, pop, gospel and jazz. Killer Mike, Lucky Daye, Mary Mary, Michelle Williams and the Debbie Allen Dance Academy further round out a program that will also feature the first time an all-Black orchestra has performed on the Hollywood Bowl stage in its 101 years.
Besides performing with his group the Roots, Oscar winner Questlove will serve as co-musical director, working alongside Adam Blackstone. Conductors for what has been dubbed the Re-Collective Orchestra will be Thomas Wilkins, principal conductor at the Hollywood Bowl, and Derrick Hodge.
Live Nation Urban and Jesse Collins Entertainment are producing the concert and broadcast with participation from the LA Phil. An announcement says the show “represents the vision” of Live Nation Urban President Shawn Gee and Dionne Harmon and Jesse Collins of Jesse Collins Entertainment,
Things will get off to an early start that Sunday at the Bowl, with tickets for the program listing a 4:30 p.m. PT start time, and the CNN broadcast slated to begin on the east coast at 8 p.m. ET. (Ticketing information can be found here, with admission prices ranging from $20-260.)
The year 2022 marks only the second year that Juneteenth has been a federal holiday, after Congress ratified its status just prior to last year’s commemoration. But with roots that date back to 1865, this year’s celebration is described as the 157th annual Black Independence Day. The holiday celebrates the emancipation of enslaved African-Americans specifically and has become a celebration of Black culture generally.
“This is the most important event we’ve ever produced at Live Nation Urban,” said Gee in a statement. “It’s a moment to celebrate and reflect on Black independence and the Black experience. It’s also a moment to raise awareness and shine light on the miles we still need to travel to true equity.”
Said Chris Licht, chairman-CEO of CNN Worldwide, “I’m thrilled that CNN is broadcasting this historic event for our viewers across the globe to celebrate and understand the significance of Juneteenth.”
“Our commitment to amplifying Black voices and those of other marginalized groups is paramount to remaining the worldwide leader in news,” said Johnita P. Due, CNN Worldwide’s SVP and chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer. “Through musical performances and thoughtful storytelling we will embody the excellence and resilience of the Black community in the continued pursuit for freedom and social justice.”
The network obtained the rights to the event, from Live Nation Urban and Jesse Collins Entertainment, and the lineup includes Chaka Khan, Khalid, Yolanda Adams, Anthony Hamilton, Billy Porter, Debbie Allen Dance Academy, Earth, Wind & Fire, Killer Mike, Lucky Daye, Mary Mary, Jhené Aiko, Ne-Yo, Michelle Williams, Mickey Guyton, Robert Glasper and The Roots, among others. Former First Lady Michelle Obama will deliver taped remarks.
Johnita P. Due, senior vice president and chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer for CNN Worldwide, said in an interview this week that event “is really one of the most meaningful things that I have been involved in” at the network.
“The thing that makes it special, of course, is that it was only a year ago that the federal government made Juneteenth a national holiday,” she said. “So how many times in history will we have that opportunity to really shape for the country, and for the world, how a holiday is celebrated, and the meaning of a holiday and the importance of a holiday.”
This is the 157th anniversary of Juneteenth, which commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. June 19, 1865 was the date that federal troops arrived in Galveston, TX and informed citizens that slavery had been abolished in the state. The anniversary was commemorated the following year with prayers and singing, and it endured as an annual tradition.
“We really feel that with this event, we are able to not only commemorate the holiday, but we’re able to educate people around the meaning behind it, and also to uplift and inspire people to continue to make a difference and continue in the pursuit if freedom for all,” Due said.
The event also will include The Re-Collective Orchestra, a 68-piece all Black symphony orchestra that will be the first time that an all-Black symphony has performed at the bowl. Adam Blackstone and Questlove will serve as the evening’s musical directors.
Earlier in the evening, Don Lemon will anchor a pre-show highlighting African American advocates and creators. On Thursday, CNN Business hosted a streamed conversation on advancing Black leadership, with correspondent Stephanie Elam sitting down with Walgreens Boots Alliance CEO Rosalind Brewer. Also appearing were Operations Hope Founder and CEO John Hope Bryant and Collab Capital co-founder Barry Givens.
Due said that CNN staff had been brainstorming ideas for coverage of Juneteenth, and went on a tour with curators at the National Museum of African American History and Culture before they connected with Live Nation Urban. She said that artists will give music and spoken word performances that share their experiences of Black America. Interstitial packages will be woven in with the live performances. The goal also was to have a diversity of music genres, including rap, R&B, country, soul, hip hop and gospel. Viewers also will be directed to ways they can get engaged in organizations and volunteer activities.
