as union soldiers spread -- paving the way for them to mayor, to vote, to vote and to worship and decide their own destiny. the civil war officially ended in april 1865, but in a small community of gavelston island, texas, enslaved slaves were owe believious to their reality, two and a half years after the signing of the emancipation proclamation when a u.s. general informed the last enslaved black people in america that freedom had finally comp the people erupted in joy. that joy became the catalyst for juneteenth. in 2021 juneteenth became an official federal holiday. now recognized across the united states as a day of national celebration. juneteenth is a reminder. it is a reminder of what black people in america have been through and what black people have overcome. it is a commemoration of our resilience. our ingenuity, and most importantly our capacity for joy. our joy is worthy of celebration, and on this day we remember that our freedom must be honored, nurtured and protected. on this day we lift our voices and we sing. ♪ ♪ ♪ let freedom ring ♪ ♪ ♪ lift every voice and sing till the heaven ring ♪ ring with the harmonies of liberty ♪ ♪ let our rejoicing rise high as the listening, listening skies ♪ ♪ threat resound loud as the rolling sea ♪ ♪ sing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us ♪ ♪ sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us ♪ ♪ facing the rising sun of our new day begun ♪ ♪ let us watch, yes, till victory, till victory is won ♪ >> welcome to juneteenth, a global celebration of freedom featuring performances by yolanda adams, earth, wind & fire, the roots, chaka can. miki guyton, looky day, mary, mary, ricky porter, robert glasco, neo, ne -- yeo o. >> jill scott, anthony hamilton, amir suleman, the debbie allan dance academy. adam blackstone and the bbb all-star band, and the recollective orchestration, and now please welcome our first guest, actor and comedian deon cole. [ applause ] >> come on, y'all can do better than that, man. make some noise. make some noise. good evening, good evening, everybody. black people, white people, brown people and all freedom lovers around the world. p i am deon cole, and it's pleasure for me to welcome to you juneteenth, a global celebration of freedom on cnn, baby. give it up, yeah! if you can believe it or not, man, this is only the second year that juneteenth is being observed as a national federal holiday, so you know we had to do it big tonight, y'all know, that right, right? we've got the recollective orchestra here tonight. it's the first time that an all-black orchestra is performing at the hollywood both. give it up, yeah. >> yes, yes, yes. now, this is a global celebration, right, and everybody is invited to the cookout, but listen here, all right. we're going to do something real nice tonight. we're going to celebrate our black freedom and black people, okay, but, look, we still have to manage our blackness, y'all. ain't no it's the freedom for me t-shirts, ain't no freedom is a vibe, napkins and fans, we ain't going to do none of that tonight. >> we're going to get love as if it was out there performing. get some noise, make some noise, make some noise now. >> right. we'll have a great time and have phenomenal presenters. some iconic black musical artists of all time to celebrate tonight, so to kick it off this evening everybody. we have a musical reg end, oh, i'm so excited. can you see her this october at walt disney concert hall. please welcome my sis tert incomparable chaka khan! accompanied by the roots, everybody. let's go. ♪ >> hey. ♪ ♪ ♪ >> ain't nobody, loves me better ♪ ♪ make me happy ♪ ♪ make mow feel this way ♪ ♪ ain't nobody ♪ ♪ loves me better than you ♪ ♪ ain't nobody loves me better ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> how you doing tonight? what a night. ♪ i'm every woman ♪ >> you captain hear you. ♪ i'm every woman . ♪ ♪ ♪ i'm every woman ♪ it's all in me ♪ ♪ anything you want done, baby ♪ do it naturally. ♪ w ♪ whoa, whoa, whoa ♪ ♪ oh, i can sense your needs ♪ ♪ like rain on to the seeds ♪ ♪ i can make a rhyme of confusion in your mind ♪ ♪ and when it comes down to some good old-fashioned love ♪ ♪ i got it ♪ ♪ i'm every woman ♪ it's all in me. ♪ ♪ everything you want done, baby ♪ do it natural police ♪ ♪ whoa, whoa, whoa ♪ yeah, yeah, yeah ♪ ♪ i'm every woman ♪ ♪ it's all in me ♪ ♪ whoa, whoa, whoa ♪ ♪ whoa, whoa, whoa ♪ i ain't biraghi ♪ ♪ because i'm one ♪ ♪ just ask me ♪ ♪ oh, it shall be done ♪ ♪ ant don't bother ♪ ♪ to compare ♪ ♪ i've got ♪ ♪ whoa, whoa, whoa ♪ ♪ whoa, whoa, whoa ♪ ♪ i'm every woman ♪ ♪ it's all in me ♪ ♪ i'm every woman ♪ ♪ i'm every woman ♪ ♪ i'm every woman ♪ ♪ i'm every woman ♪ ♪ i'm every woman ♪ >> why, you are. ♪ i'm every woman ♪ ♪ whoa, whoa, whoa ♪ ♪ whoa, whoa, whoa ♪ ♪ whoa, whoa, whoa ♪ ♪ whoa, whoa, whoa ♪ whoa, whoa, whoa ♪ yeah ♪ >> thank you! >> i love you, california. >> our celebration continues with performances by ross per glasper and a special message from vice president kamala harris. next, earth, wind & fire takes the stage. itit's juneteenth, a global celebration for freedom. open. it's a beautitiful word. neighborhoods "open". businesses "open". fields "open". who doesn't love "open"? 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[ applause ] >> black folks turned suffering and cries for justice into art like nobody else. one of our goals tonight is to celebrate black culture in its myriad forms of artistic expression. take, for example this, next performance, a genre-busting collaboration between robert glaspber, dee smoke and emir suleman.er, dee smoke and emir suleman. ♪ ♪ i can feel the love in the air ♪ ♪ those in the conversation ♪ ♪ they help me to shine, shine ♪ ♪ shine ♪ ♪ shine ♪ ♪ they help me to shine ♪ >> yeah. ♪ shine ♪ ♪ shine ♪ >> we're here to shine. >> picture the world that no longer exists. the start was only meant to wash away the hurt. we're on side the building. picture choosing the road and pictures standing on top of hills, projecting your brilliance and we started out slowly and came out more clyke children. picture me as the channel, started up as the blob. picture me as the whit per that started off as the well. picture me as heaven although they give you hell. picture, that scripture that, picture that brilliant sister that gave us the miseducation who gave them hope. >> ♪ i can feel the love in the air ♪ >> how y'all feeling today? >> yeah. >> and all those conversations. we want to wishial a very lovely juneteenth. ♪ shine, scheib ♪ >> y'all look so beautiful ♪ ♪ shine ♪ >> keep shining. >> you help me to shane. ♪ shine, shine ♪ >> pick me flying over the city. picture me with the soul whose equally pretty. picture me with a choir full of herr's and picture even with your voice. picture in atlanta for all those reaching up. picture everything finger can join in the form of a fist. picture jamaican patties blowing kisses. picture me. picture skies. picture trees. picture too many flowers. too many leaves. picture you and me for hours doing whatever we please. picture give you self-love deeper than sea. reach. now i can feel the love in here. >> y'all make some noise for robert glasper. ♪ ♪ i can feel the love ♪ ♪ ♪ i can feel the love in the air ♪ ♪ ♪ i can feel the off in the air ♪ ♪ i can dfeel the love in the - i can, i can feel the love in the air ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> you will be someone's ancestor. act accordingly. for our children, for our children's children, for those weapons that will be inevitably formed against them, that your granddaughter can whisper through gritted teeth i am the granddaughter of so and so, so i cannot fail. you will be someone's ancestor. act accordingly. so your grandson when he is surround by his enemies on the battlefield of life that he won't raise his weapon over his raised head and his raised voice will exclaim i am the grandson of so and so! and that will be an inspiration for those with him and a warning for those who stand against him. you will be someone's ancestor. act accordingly. for god has said every soul shall taste death, but if you are afraid of that, why be afraid. it is going through but you will be someone's ancestor so act accordingly. there are some people who are so great, by goes, laying beneath the ground that are more alive than many of the living. there are men lying still in their coffins more active than the activists. they have done their deeds. they have lived their mission. will you let the dead uplift you. let the dead outleave you. you, you will be someone's ancestor. act accordingly. for god has said do they think that we created them with no purpose and they will not be returned back to us. no, you will be returned to god, and when you return to them. return actualize and realize that song stuck in your heart, lets it go. that word stuck in your throat, your limbs let it be, or you will be someone's ancestor. act accordingly. ♪ ♪ >> a knee on a man's neck, eight minutes and 40 seconds. ♪ >> michael brown. >> eight minutes and 46 seconds. can you imagine, imagine, imagine. ♪ >> thought he was going to die. he knew he was going to die. he called for his mother. mother, mother. thought he was going to die. he knew he was going to die. he called for his mother, mother, mother. mother . ♪ coming up, lucky day and later mickey guyton takes the stage, and still to come special messages from president biden and mrs. michelle obama when our juneteenth celebration for freedom continues. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ introducing the all-new infiniti qx60. take on your wild world in style. ♪ (man) [whispering] what's going on? 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(sha bop sha bop) ♪ ♪ ♪ alexa, play our favorite song again. ok. ♪ i only have eyes for you ♪ >> welcome back to juneteenth, a global celebration for freedom. you know him best from b.e.t.'s new edition story and hbo's "euphoria." actor al g smith. >> okay. so, i've got to get through this. how y'all doing? okay, okay. let me focus. let me focus. all right. happy juneteenth! >> 185 years ago the first black university in america was founded ushering a rich history hsbcus that took exclusion and mold it had into the also community. today hbcus remain havens for black educators, black students, black minds. i'm talking about howard, hampton, florida a&m, spellman marx morehouse. okay, okay, okay. but the impact of hbcus expands beyond any classroom or campus. this juneteenth we celebrate and honor the importance of hbcus more than ever and helping the changes of tomorrow be the men are they are meant to be. happy juneteenth, baby. ♪ >> my hbcu experience real changed my entire life. >> like i'm, whatever you see me doing on stage, whatever it is, i was already doing it and honk the craft there. >> it was one of those decisions that you didn't know you were make the greatest decision of your life. you had schools like howard, like spellman, like morehouse, notorious for turning out people who have been titans of industry, culture, creativity and art. the people that are coming out of these schools that are literally changing the world. the medical school at howard is one of the leading medical schools in the country. starting in 1861, historically black colleges were creed as a response to the racial discrimination that kept black people from pursuing higher education. for more than 1 are 50 years these institutions have become a cornerstone of black culture and excellence. >> i feel like hbcus play a role in the freedom of african-americans because you're taught that you are great. you're taught that your melanin is spempings you're taught that the way you move, the way you talk, the way you think, that something that the world needs. >> because of that, their unity and that spiritual wave, i don't know what to call the fabric of who we are as a people you see it right there. you feel it. >> i've learned so much and built up so much, and there was an esteem hi about myself now understanding when i was in the world and understanding there are more people like me in the world and how validated you feel coming out of an hbcu. >> i think the more educated that the world can be about who we are in an hbcu setting would really give them a clear vision of who we are as a people across the board. >> please welcome raven-symone. ♪ >> hello, hello, hello. what's up, hollywood bowl? happy juneteenth. so glad to be here. so glad to be here. i get -- i get an exciting part of the show. shea lyrical possibility with old-school soul redefining the power and beauty of r & b mike, and he's here tonight for an electrifying performance. everybody, please welcome to the stage lucky day. [ cheers and applause ] ♪ ♪ i've been so many places in my life and time ♪ ♪ i've sung a lot of songs and i've made some bad ones ♪ ♪ been on the stages with 10,000 people watching ♪ ♪ believe it or not i'm singing a song to you ♪ ♪ i know your image of me is what i hold it to be ♪ ♪ i've treated you unkindly, darling, can't you see ♪ ♪ >> reporter: one more important to me, baby can't you see ♪ ♪ believe it or not, i'm singing a song to you ♪ ♪ tell me precious secrets of a true love holding nothing ♪ ♪ now it's so much better if words don't come together ♪ ♪ listen to the melody ♪ because my love is in hiding ♪ ♪ ♪ i love you in a place where there's no space or time ♪ ♪ i love you, for life you're a friend of mine ♪ ♪ when my life is over, remember when we were together ♪ ♪ we belong and i'm singing this song to you ♪ ♪ i'm singing this song to you ♪ ♪ we were alone and i was singing a song, singing a song to you ♪ >> happy juneteenth, everybody. >> okay. >> we do this for our ancestors and for our mothers and fathers. yeah. ♪ ♪ ♪ >> if you're proud of being black, get on your feel. if you love black people get on your feet. if you love yourself get on your ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ making me live ♪ ♪ nightmares turn into a dream ♪ ♪ because i thought it was over ♪ ♪ got my feelings over ♪ ♪ you've been doing it over and over ♪ ♪ i'm just trying to get closer, closer and closer ♪ ♪ doing it over and over so you'll keep calling me back ♪ ♪ la, la, la, la ♪ ♪ why do you keep calling me back ♪ ♪ ♪ you say it don't mean it ♪ ♪ ♪ now you're calling me special when you ♪ ♪ ♪ what do you mean ♪ ♪ you keep on making me leave ♪ ♪ nice mayors turn into a dream ♪ ♪ because i thought it was over ♪ ♪ you keep doing it over and over ♪ you keep calling me back ♪ ♪ i'm just trying to get closer, closer and closer ♪ ♪ falling over and over and over ♪ ♪ cause you keep calling me back ♪ ♪ why you keep calling me back ♪ ♪ imagine what you're going to feel like when you were like ten times ♪ ♪ going to put you in line ♪ ♪ now i don't even want to reply ♪ ♪ i'm going to have to decline ♪ ♪ you show me i don't want to remind, yeah ♪ ♪ don't give meet attitude it ain't fine ♪ >> i love each and every one of y'all. thank you. happy pride, too. >> we will return with the roots, plus performances by mickey guyton, billy porter and ne-yo and still to come the legendary earth, wind & fire. it's juneteenth, a global celebration for freedom. with angi, you can connect with and see ratings and reviews.