Yes, we put out a Black History Month issue every February, but you can’t forget about Juneteenth, which is why we’ve decided to celebrate the holiday with a special issue. And it’s packed with great info and in-depth reporting. Step inside.
In Metro, Southeast Fort Worth heads once more unto the breach. The historically Black neighborhood, with its unconscionably high mortality rate, continues bearing the large cost of environmental racism, this time in the form of a proposed multibillion-dollar AI data center. In Letters, a small-business owner discusses the Karmelo Anthony verdict, while in Music, we highlight a concert at The Cicada to raise funds for an Eastside community garden founded by living legend Dr. Opal Lee that could use some love.
Don’t think there isn’t any Black joy inside, because there is. A lot of it. Two writers take us to Arlington, where a salon-suite owner who made her bank by trucking is building a beauty and self-positivity empire and where Breakfast Brothers pump out comfort food to feed your soul. Closer to home, there’s a bevy of fun things to do this Juneteenth season, including concerts, parades, art exhibits, food trucks, and so much more.
Welcome to the first of what will undoubtedly become an annual June celebration, and we couldn’t be prouder. — Anthony Mariani, Editor
WHAT’S INSIDE JUNETEENTH 2026?
We’re glad you asked!
METRO // Twilight Zone — Southeast Fort Worth has been suffering from environmental racism for decades, so the newly proposed nearby AI data center is sadly expected. Read more here.
STATIC // Spurs Loss Historically Correct — The line from Jesse Owens to Wemby is pretty direct, especially in Texas. “I’m not a big basketball fan, but I did watch a couple of Spurs games during the NBA Finals. They’re a young team, and they fought hard, and I know a lot of Texans were rooting for them to win. I was, too. But as I watched the final game, a creeping sense of unease came over me. I tried to shake it, but I couldn’t…” Read more here.
LETTERS // Sadness All Around — “Absolutely terrible for everyone involved. There is no win in a case like that of Karmelo Anthony, a 19-year-old found guilty of murder for the fatal stabbing of 17-year-old Austin Metcalf…” Read more here.
FEATURE // Living in Legacy — Black small-business owner Dena Stanley used truck-driving money to launch her stylish dream. She is also expanding her community with a podcast titled Healing on Purpose, in which she invites guests to share their own personal stories of triumph over adversity. Read more here.
SCREEN // Daughter Revenge in Is God Is — Just in time for Father’s Day, an all-Black cast of characters brings us this revenge thriller. Spoiler alert: Dad has it coming. Read more here.
ARTS & CALENDAR // Joy and Pain — “On view now thru Sun, July 5, at the Amon Carter Museum of American Art, Black Photojournalism gathers the work of more than 60 photographers across the country between 1945 and the mid-1980s. The 250-plus photos on display cover everything from major historical events to everyday life in Black America. The resulting portrayal exudes complexity and sublimity, underlining that while skin colors may be different, humanity is shared…” Read more here.
ARTS & CALENDAR // A Story for “Deep” Thinkers — Rashid Johnson’s brilliant survey at the Modern underlines the diversity of Blackness and the Black experience. Read more here.
ARTS & CALENDAR // Night & Day: Special Sauce — “With our calendar being somewhat, well, calendar-driven and with June being an onslaught of special happenings and holidays, it’s no surprise that you’re holding yet another of our special issues in your hand. We can’t help it. Special is our specialty. If last week’s issue was the Summer of Soccer (which it was), then this one is the Summer of Soul. This Friday (and all weekend), North Texans are celebrating Juneteenth…” Read more here.
EATS & DRINKS // Breakfast Brothers — “A light drizzle and shallow wind gusts didn’t slow an early morning crowd from joining the waitlist at the third and newest location for the Black-owned Breakfast Brothers in downtown Arlington, a tenant at the new boutique hotel, The Rambler. It was the day of the first World Cup match at Dallas Stadium, a.k.a. AT&T Stadium, and fútbol fans sporting team jerseys were streaming in. ‘We feed your soul’ is Breakfast Brothers’ motto, and many souls were ready for fulfillment on this Sunday…” Read more here.
MUSIC FEATURE // Songs 4 Seeds — “Rays of hope amid the political maelstrom, Juneteenth events are plentiful this month. In South Main Village, The Cicada will support the national holiday by hosting a fundraising event on Friday, June 19. Featuring locals Die-A-Beat-Us, A Dangerous Affair, 42Scratch, 4Factorial, and Sunny Disposition, Songs 4 Seeds will benefit Opal’s Farm, a community garden in operation since 2015 on the East Side. The show is 21 and up, and there will be vendors supporting the farm’s mission to cultivate sustainability and community…” Read more here.
THE END — Did you miss your chance to pick up Juneteenth 2026 in the stands? No worries. We’ve got you covered. To see this special issue in a flipbook, cover-to-cover format, click here.
