Juneteenth is widely celebrated as the end of slavery in the US, because on June 19th, 1865 the Union General Granger led thousands of federal troops to Galveston, Texas to announce that the Civil War had ended and that the enslaved were now free. Juneteenth should be recognized as our country's second Independence Day.
Though it has long been celebrated among the African American Community, it is a history that has been marginalized and still remains largely unknown to the wider public. The legacy of Juneteenth shows the value of deep hope and urgent organizing in uncertain times. On June 17, 2021, Juneteenth was officially made a federal holiday under President Joe Biden.
For further learning, we've collected the excellent resources on this page.
Start with this article by Henry Louis Gates Jr "What is Juneteenth?" (2013)
Check out this great collection of history and videos from PBS
Visit BlkFreedom, 6 Black museums join forces to commemorate the 155th anniversary of Juneteenth (2020)
Learn about current Black literature with this digital Juneteenth Book Fest (2020).
Watch the video below from The Root "This is Why Juneteenth is Important for America" (2018).
