Juneteenth marks our country’s second independence day. Although it has long been celebrated in the African American community, this monumental event remains largely unknown to most Americans. The historical legacy of Juneteenth shows the value of never giving up hope in uncertain times.
Learn more from the National Museum of African American History and Culture
“The holiday’s origin story begins in Galveston, Texas, which was the western-most area of the Union in 1865. When enslaved people there were told of their emancipation on June 19, 1865, they had technically already been freed two-and-a-half years prior, when President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863. Slaveholders in Texas had kept the information to themselves, extending the period of violent exploitation of enslaved African Americans. The following year, in 1866, a celebration was had in Texas, the first Juneteenth observance to recognize freedom from slavery in the U.S.”
Learn more on the PBS website
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Learn About and Celebrate Juneteenth – Juneteenth celebrations have widely expanded across the country since the day became a national holiday in 2021, when the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act was signed into law. Many more people than before know a little bit about the holiday, its history, and ongoing significance. For anyone looking to learn more, you came to right place. Follow this link for programs that tell the history of Juneteenth and others that show the joy of communities coming together in celebrations of independence.
Interview on NPR’s Fresh Air – A new book celebrates the contributions of America’s Black working class
Public Theatre’s production of Much Ado About Nothing recorded from Shakespeare in the Park featuring “a bold interpretation of Shakespeare’s comedic masterpiece featuring Danielle Brooks as Beatrice.” Even if you are not a fan of Shakespeare, you will enjoy this performance
Annenberg Classroom – Juneteenth – How and why June 16th—Juneteenth—came to be a National holiday.
TedX – What is Juneteenth, and why is it important? – At the end of the Civil War, though slavery was technically illegal in all states, it still persisted in the last bastions of the Confederacy. This was the case when Union General Gordon Granger marched his troops into Galveston, Texas on June 19th and announced that all enslaved people there were officially free. Karlos K. Hill and Soraya Field Fiorio dig into the history of Juneteenth.