What Connects Us: HBO Streaming Watchmen For Free On Juneteenth Weekend

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photo courtesy of HBO
In celebration of June 19, the day in 1865 when slavery was finally abolished in the state of Texas (let’s face it: they’d been dragging their feet on this for a couple of years after the Emancipation Proclamation) HBO has announced a slate of free programming with an eye toward Black stories/subjects or creators, notably last year’s universally praised 9-part Watchmen series.

 In the current climate of racial division and open white supremacy, Damon Lindelof’s television sequel to Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ classic dystopian comic series seems to run contemporaneously to the now, while still looking back at history.
 Having a depiction of the 1921 Tulsa Oklahoma Massacre (when white racists attacked/murdered and burned the property of black citizens) in the first episode firmly set the tone and mindset from the get-go for the show last year, and it hits a little differently in light of recent events.

 HBO is also including as part of its “extension of the network’s content offering, highlighting Black experiences, voices and storytellers” other free-streaming movies/shows, including: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, Bessie, The Apollo, United Skates, 4 Little Girls, Say Her Name: The Life and Death of Sandra Bland, Baltimore Rising and Bessie.

 All 9 episodes of Watchmen (starring Regina King, Jeremy Irons, and Yahya Abdul-Mateen ll) will be available starting at 1:00 pm June 19 through Sunday, June 21 on HBO.com and Free On Demand, so it’s almost time to watch...   and listen.

 MR