Juneteenth & Cannabis: Al Harrington's Foundation Offers 'Lit Lecture Series' Honoring Black Independence

The Harrington Institute’s Lecture Series “Emancipation Education: Juneteenth & Cannabis” Lit Lecture Series begins on June 19^th with a deep dive into the history of June 19^th and how it relates to cannabis.

In honor of Black independence, the conversation will revolve around equitably inclusive ways to diversify the cannabis industry, with guests John Bailey of Black Cannabis Equity Initiative, and B. Noble founder Bernard Noble.

Bernard Noble became a national symbol of harsh drug laws after he was sentenced in New Orleans to 13 years of hard labor for carrying about two joints while riding a bike. He was released in Dec. 2018.

In 2021, B Noble and Curaleaf CURLF launched the B Noble brand which was founded by hip-hop pioneer, Fab 5 Freddy to raise awareness and create funding to defend people from cannabis-related criminalization.

As part of Al Harrington and Viola Brand’s commitment to equity in the cannabis industry, the Harrington Institute seeks to provide equitable access to the industry by delivering high-quality education to its community. The free quarterly, live-instructed Zoom classes are meant to lead to advanced awareness, job readiness, reform and community advancement.

“Our vision is to reshape the entire landscape of the cannabis industry by providing high-quality education in every corner of the market,” noted the Harrington Institute. “We develop leaders and provide our students with the skills and education necessary to take advantage of every opportunity that arises in this new budding industry.”

What Is Juneteenth And How Did It Begin?

Juneteenth, the annual commemoration of the end of slavery following the end of the Civil War, has been celebrated by African Americans since the late 1800s. On June 19, 1865, several months after Robert E. Lee surrendered at the Appomattox, Union General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas to inform enslaved African Americans that the Civil War had ended, which meant slavery was also over. 

In 2021, President Biden signed legislation that made Juneteenth a federal holiday following protests that gripped the country and the world following the police murders of Black Americans including George Floyd and Breonna Taylor.

To get more info and sign up for the ‘Lit Lecture Series,’ check out this link.