Jeremy Joyce had big plans for Juneteenth this year, but thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, he had to rethink all of that. Joyce is the founder of Black People Eats, a directory of black-owned restaurants, and he had been planning one of the brand’s large public events for the holiday this Friday.
Still, Joyce wanted to celebrate the occasion. He started reaching out to restaurants he knows, and soon came up with Juneteenth Restaurant Celebration, a campaign to support black-owned restaurants.
Throughout the Juneteenth weekend, black-owned restaurants in the Chicago area — plus other cities where Black People Eats is active — will offer menu items for $6.19, an amount that acknowledges the date of the holiday. The Black People Eats Instagram account Wednesday morning published the list of the participating restaurants, more than 70 in Chicago and the surburbs, and the items they are offering. See the complete restaurant list at the bottom of this article; for information on what deals are offered, go here. For a map of the restaurants, go here.
The money stays with the individual restaurants, Joyce said, as the goal of the campaign is to encourage people to get out and support black-owned restaurants. A couple places will offer price specials a little higher, such as $16.19, due to food costs, but such well-known spots as Two Fish Crab Shack, 5 Loaves Eatery, Ina Mae Tavern and more will have menu items for $6.19. It’s an accessible price point and encourages people to get out, Joyce said.
“We’re all about community and all about the people, so what I asked myself was, how can I be just as impactful without everyone being all in one space?” he said. “I wanted people to be incentivized to visit these restaurants, whether they are pillars in the community, or they’re brand new.”
As a holiday, Juneteenth has recently garnered increased cultural attention, but black Americans have long celebrated the holiday as the date — June 19, 1865 — on which all enslaved persons were effectively freed after the Civil War. While the Emancipation Proclamation had been declared more than two years earlier, historical accounts allege that it took Union soldiers years to deliver that news in parts of Texas, as well as drive out residual factions of Confederate soldiers.
Following instances of police brutality against black people in recent months, including the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and others, the systematic treatment of black Americans has come under scrutiny. This week, numerous employers in the U.S. recognized Juneteenth as an official paid holiday for employees.
Joyce founded Black People Eats as a resource for black-owned restaurants in Chicago, but he has since expanded his efforts to include Atlanta, Baltimore, Dallas and more cities. Earlier this year, he began hosting live events.
A little more than two weeks ago, Joyce started a GoFundMe to raise money for black-owned restaurants that have been affected by the COVID-19 shutdown and civil unrest. His goal was $20,000, to give $500 to 40 restaurants. Instead, the effort has raised more than $70,000 and counting (it closes Thursday).
“I’m just so grateful to have this opportunity, man,” said Joyce, who also works full-time in finance. “Just trying to bring people together and to support these restaurants.”
Joyce’s Juneteenth campaign and restaurant fundraiser are among a host of events in recent weeks aimed at supporting businesses and charities that serve predominantly black people.
More fundraiser efforts
Many Chicago bakers have joined the Bakers Against Racism campaign, a worldwide fundraising effort in which bakers are offering treats to benefit charities; in Chicago, those organizations include Assata’s Daughters, Black Lives Matter Chicago chapter, Brave Space Alliance, My Block My Hood My City, and the Transgender Law Center.
Other local efforts include Sundae Monday from Dana Cree of Pretty Cool Ice Cream and Max Robbins of Longman & Eagle. Starting Monday, guests can get $5, single-scoop sundaes, and 100% of the proceeds go to the Black Lives Matter Chicago chapter. Each Sundae Monday will feature a topping made specially by a Chicago chef.
Off Color Brewing also introduced a new hoodie to its merchandise line, with 100-percent of the sales from that item being donated to the Black Lives Matter Chicago chapter.
Juneteenth Restaurant Celebration restaurants
14 Parish Restaurant and Rhum Bar, 1644 E. 53rd St.
5 Loaves Eatery, 405 E. 75th St.
AndySunflower Cafe, 9920 S. Western Ave.
B&B Ice Cream and Candy, 8238 S. Racine Ave.
Batter & Berries, 2748 N. Lincoln Ave.
Bronzeville Wingz, 4300 S. Michigan Ave.
Brown Sugar Bakery, 328 E. 75th St. (Friday only)
Bumbu Roux, 833 W. Haines St.
Can’t Believe It’s Not Meat, 1368 1/2 E. 53rd St.
Chicago Food on the Run, 8040 S. Ashland Ave.
Cleo’s Southern Cuisine, 4248 S. Cottage Grove
Dat Donut, 8251 S. Cottage Grove
Deli King Inc., 410 W. 71st St.
Dock’s, 321 E. 35th St. and 4011 W. 167th St., Country Club Hills
Doughboy’s Chicago, 352 E. 71st St.
Easy Living Juice Bar, 1907 W. 87th St.
Emeche Cakery and Cafe, 3453 S. Prairie Ave.
Flammin, 641 E. 75th St.
Flavours Seafood Bar, 19755 S. Torrence Ave., Lynwood
Frontier, 1072 N. Milwaukee Ave.
Garifuna Flava: A Taste of Belize, 2518 W. 63rd St.
Golden Gloves Cuisine, 1401 173rd St., Hammond, Indiana
Good to Go Jamaican Cuisine, 711 Howard St., Evanston
Haire’s Gulf Shrimp, 7448 S. Vincennes Ave,
Harold’s Chicken on Broadway, 3933 N. Broadway
Home of the Hoagy, 1316 W. 111th St. (Friday only)
Honey 1 BBQ, 746 E. 43rd St.
Ina Mae Tavern & Packaged Goods, 1415 N. Wood St.
Juiced By Shic, 14736 Pulaski, Midlothian
Kilwins Hyde Park, 5226 S. Harper Ave.
Kizin Creole Restaurant, 2311 Howard St.
Kozy Korner Catering and Deli, 15443 Cottage Grove Ave., Dolton
Lexington Betty Smoke House, 6954 W. North Ave.
The Licking Chicago, 5045 W. Madison St.
LiteHouse Whole Food Grill Evanston, 1823 Church St., Evanston
LiteHouse Whole Food Grill Hyde Park, 1660 E. 55th St.
Live and Believe Nutrition, 2025 W. 95th St.
Lizzy J Cafe, 2205 W. Montrose Ave.
Luckey’s Cafe, 1512 W. Taylor St.
Luella’s Southern Kitchen, 4609 N. Lincoln Ave. (Saturday and Sunday only)
Mabe’s Deli, 312 E. 75th St.
Mae’s Que House, 17093 S. Jodave Ave., Hazelcrest
Mikkey’s 47 Express, 503 E. 47th St.
Mikkey’s on Stony Island, 8126 S. Stony Island Ave.
Mikkey’s Retro Grill, 5319 S. Hyde Park Blvd.
Nita’s Gumbo, 4153 W. 183rd St., Country Club Hills
Norman’s Bistro, 1001 E. 43rd St.
Ohana Ice & Treats, 1800 W. 103rd St.
Phlavz Bar & Grille, 717 W. Maxwell St.
Plant Based Junkie, 1635 1/2 E. 87th St.
Poppin Dough, 1235 W. 95th St.
Shawn Michelle’s Homemade Ice Cream, 46 E. 47th St.
Soul 2 Go Express Soul Food, 993 E. 162nd St., South Holland
The Soul Shack, 1368 E 53rd St.
Soul, 1931 W. Chicago Ave.
South Shore Brew, 7101 S. Yates Blvd.
Surf’s Up Avondale, 3517 N. Spaulding Ave.
Surf’s Up Bronzeville, 4317 S. Cottage Grove Ave.
Surf’s Up Oak Park, 6427 W. North Ave., Oak Park
Surf’s Up South Shore, 2236 E. 71st St.
Taylor’s Tacos, 135 N. Kedzie St.
Two Fish Crab Shack, 641 E. 47th St. (Friday and Saturday only)
Uncle John’s BBQ, 8249 S. Cottage Grove Ave.
Urban Grill Chicago, 1132 W. Wilson Ave
VelvetLuxe Pastries, velvetluxepastries.com (online only)
Wilma’s Famous BBQ, 633 E. Sibley Blvd., Dolton
The Woodlawn, 1200 E. 79th St.
The Wrap Bar, 8154 S. Cottage Grove Ave.
