| “ | Teacher: Is everything okay, Mr. Johnson? Do you feel that there's not enough representation? Because after the last incident, I had children bussed in. Dre: Honestly, if I wanted my children around this many minorities, I would have taken them to a Tyler Perry play and shamelessly enjoyed it. |
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— Dre on the Play
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Juneteenth is the first episode of Season 4 of Black-ish, and the seventy-third episode overall. It premiered on October 3, 2017.
Synopsis
The Johnsons go to Jack and Diane's school play about Columbus Day, and Dre is dismayed by the historically inaccurate way that the holiday is portrayed. He feels like there aren't enough black holidays, so he enlists Aloe Blacc at work to help him create a catchy song to raise awareness for a holiday worth celebrating: Juneteenth.
Cast
Main Cast
- Anthony Anderson as Dre Johnson
- Tracee Ellis Ross as Rainbow Johnson
- Marcus Scribner as Andre Johnson, Jr.
- Miles Brown as Jack Johnson
- Marsai Martin as Diane Johnson
- Peter Mackenzie as Leslie Stevens
- Deon Cole as Charlie Telphy
- Jenifer Lewis as Ruby Johnson
Recurring Cast
- Laurence Fishburne as Pops
- Jeff Meacham as Josh
- Nelson Franklin as Connor Stevens
Guest Starring
- Aloe Blacc as Himself
- Wanda Sykes as Daphne Lido
- Prestyn Bates as Cole
- August and Berlin Gross as Baby Devante
- Jennie Pierson as Ms. Davis
- Fonzworth Bentley as Derek 'Fonzworth Bentley' Watkins
Trivia
- In this episode, slavery and racial issues are mentioned. Obvious to the title.
- In the episode there is a part in which Dre imagines what the school play should really be like that involves Columbus telling a indigenous person of the Americas to "speak English". In reality however, he would have said "speak Spanish" as he was funded by the Spanish crown.
Quotes
| “ | Cole: I'm Christopher Columbus, and I discovered America. Dre: [Chuckles] Okay fake history, right? Earl/Pops: No, I just don't think these children are that talented. |
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| “ | [The Johnson family are at a play and Bow is filming it] Bow: Years from now, when I look back on this footage, I look forward to hearing you eat mints. Ruby: [Chuckles] They're butterscotch. Bow: Mm, okay. Ruby: Halfrican. Bow: Uh! Okay, Ruby. Well, can I have one, please? Ruby: Mnh-mnh. It's my last piece. Dre, Jr.: Can I have one, Grandma? Bow: She don't have any more. Ruby: Well, yes, baby. Bow: What? Ruby: I've always got a butterscotch for family. |
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| “ | Zoey: You know, I can drive now, so we can just leave and never come back here. Dre, Jr.: And miss the moment when Mom decides to divorce Dad and we sneak out under the cover of night to start a new life, opening an artisanal coffee shop in a transitioning but scrappy neighborhood in Portland? |
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| “ | Dre: Ms. Davis, you should be ashamed of yourself. Where you really failed is this isn't how it went down. [Jack and Diane rapping in a cutaway] Diane: Everything you know about Columbus is a joke. He didn't discover America, prepare to get woke. Jack: I'm Christopher Columbus, and I'm pretty much evil On Hispaniola, my men killed the indigenous people. Die, Indians! Cole: But this isn't India! Jack: Speak English! Diane: You're so brave, Columbus More than words can convey And it's cool how your men killed 3,000 people in one day. Jack: So let's make one thing perfectly clear Celebrating Columbus is celebrating a slavery pioneer. Diane: But at least you can get a great deal on a mattress. |
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| “ | Dre: I can't believe you would honor a slave trader like Columbus when you do not honor Juneteenth a proud black holiday tradition that my family treasures! Dre, Jr.: What? We don't celebrate Juneteenth. Dre: Shut up, Junior! You love it- It's very important in our household. |
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| “ | Dre: I'm serious. Columbus Day is a BS holiday. Connor: Okay, so I guess you'll be at work on Monday. Josh: Oh. Dre: You sound stupid. Okay? Did you know that Columbus never even set foot in North America? Josh: What? Prove it. Connor: Yes, he did. Leslie Stevens/Mr. Stevens: Come on, now. Fake news. Aloe: The only reason we celebrate dude is 'cause everyone remembers that hook, "In 1492" All: "Columbus sailed the ocean blue." Charlie: First I'm hearing about this Columbo fellow. Dre: What? Charlie: I spent my time in school learning a trade way more valuable than any book. I learned how to forge resumes, college diplomas, time sheets. [Dre nudges him and clears his throat. Charlie pauses and looks at everyone] I've said too much. Dre: The point is, we celebrate a horrible man when we don't even acknowledge important moments in our own history, like Juneteenth. Josh: Oh! What is June- Connor and Leslie: No, no, no, no, no. Josh: teenth? Daphne: Oh, my God! Damn it! There goes lunch! Dre: All right, June 19, 1865, or "Juneteenth," is the day in America where all slaves were finally free. [Connor gets close to Joshs' left ear and face] Connor: [sternly] You did this. You. |
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