What's Juneteenth?
June 19 is Juneteenth, a holiday commemorating June 19, 1865, when Union general Gordon Granger read federal orders in Galveston, Texas, that all previously enslaved people in Texas were free.
We could explain the history, but Aloe Blacc and The Roots do a much better job than we could.
That’s where Juneteenth comes from.
We summed up why it’s still meaningful, especially in 2020. This is just a starting point, as there is some great material for further reading at the bottom.
#BlackLivesMatter
In many ways, Juneteenth represents how freedom and justice in the US has always been delayed for black people. (Vox)
Juneteenth is an important part of Black culture, especially in the South. This is a holiday to celebrate creating community, building a culture and overcoming adversity.
American history is still divided over whether or not the Civil War was over states’ rights or slavery. Juneteenth gives everyone a chance to empathize and understand the perspective of the enslaved in the Confederate states.
As more people begin to understand that the trauma of slavery goes back more than 400 years, Juneteenth is an important holiday to remember the end of slavery and the beginning of the journey for equality and equity for Black people.