Juneteenth first became recognized as a national holiday in 1980. But it’s been a part of the fabric of Texas culture well before that. Also known as Freedom Day, Juneteenth is the celebration of the announced and enforced freedom of enslaved people in 1865—more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed. The enforced aspect is critical – many slave owners chose to not follow the executive order to keep what they viewed as “their property.” Generations later, Juneteenth is being celebrated by many Black Americans in lieu of the Fourth of July. The reason? The forefathers didn’t acknowledge the personhood of enslaved people. Juneteenth represents reclaiming the ownership of oneself. And “Miss Juneteenth”—written and directed by Channing Godfrey Peoples in her feature debut—takes the celebration and funnels it into a quiet story about independence, generational growth, and defining who you are.
We begin the film with Turquoise Jones (Nicole Beharie) lovingly looking at her tiara, reflecting. Throughout the film, we discover through exposition that she had the world seemingly at her feet. A proud winner of the Miss Juneteenth beauty pageant, she had a full ride to Prairie View A&M University, a lot of dreams, and ambition to match. But having her daughter Kai (Alexis Chikaeze) shifted her future plans, forcing her to work in a dive bar in her hometown. Struggling to make ends meet, Turquoise invests her energy into Kai, pushing her daughter to compete in Miss Juneteenth. The opportunity gives Kai a chance to gain an education and future while becoming a redemption point for her mother.
Godfrey Peoples is no novice to stories of the south. A Fort Worth, TX native, and a writer of a few episodes of “Queen Sugar,” the filmmaker is intimately aware of the beauty and charm of Black Texas. And “Miss Juneteenth” highlights this in spades. The town that the Jones girls live in embodies the saying, “it takes a village.” They support Turquoise and look out for her when they can, showcasing what community should be. DP Daniel Patterson, who’s worked on Spike Lee projects such as “Da Sweet Blood of Jesus” and “She’s Gotta Have It” (the TV series), films these characters with grace. Focusing on their faces, expressions, and emotions gives this town depth and makes it welcoming.
It’s been said that heavy is the head that wears the crown. In this case, the burden is put on Nicole Beharie to wear a tiara and lead the story. Magnetic on-screen, Beharie brings a weighted warmth to Turquoise. Her load as a mother and a provider is felt, and “Miss Juneteenth” is at its best when the camera focuses on Beharie’s reactions. Her expressive eyes are a secret weapon and can instantly change the temperature of the scene. One scene, in particular, Beharie stares off in the distance when the father of her child Ronnie (Kendrick Sampson) doesn’t provide money for Kai’s pageant dress. His panicked excuses are heard in the background but the camera focuses on Beharie’s glazed look. The chilly atmosphere is purely driven by Beharie’s skill.
Turquoise’s sacrifice for Kai sometimes comes at the expense of her daughter’s desires for her future. Those generational rifts are palpable between both of them plus the addition of Turquoise’s mother Charlotte (Lori Hayes). Both mothers had missteps toward providing a better life for their children. In their current lives, they’ve both been looking to change their narratives. Determined, Turquoise says that Kai is “my dream now.” The Miss Juneteenth pageant is a path towards autonomy for Kai but also exposes Turquoise’s desire for her own autonomy. When confronted, she says tiredly, “I just want something for myself.” It’s the most honest that Turquoise is with herself in the film. She’s put her child, baby father, and job above her needs. She’s searching for the feeling of hope she had when she was the reigning pageant queen.
Even in its condensed 100 minutes, “Miss Juneteenth” still has room to streamline. The inclusion of the funeral director Bacon (Akron Watson) who has a romantic interest in Turquoise feels like the beginnings of a forced love triangle between them and Ronnie. And one particular scene with Charlotte leading a prayer for Turquoise for Kai feels misplaced. They don’t hinder the impact of the film overall, but there’s space to sharpen the voice. This is Godfrey Peoples’ first feature film and like the character’s she’s written, there’s ground for a brighter future.
Ultimately, “Miss Juneteenth” is a reminder that dreams don’t have to die. A common goal for many Black families is to leave a legacy or equity that your future generations can use to be financially stable and independent. At its core, we’re all fighting to maintain that independence our enslaved ancestors got a bit of in 1865. America has many inroads toward equality for Black Americans. The best we can do until then is, like Turquoise, invest in those after us. [B]
“Miss Juneteenth” is on VOD now.