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06/15/2022

Juneteenth - What, Why and How

Nobody’s free until everybody’s free.
Fannie Lou Hamer, Civil Rights Leader

 
 
It wasn’t until June 19, 1865, two and a half years after President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, that the Union army brought news of the end of slavery to enslaved people in Galveston, Texas. Through the Emancipation Proclamation, Lincoln declared freedom to all enslaved people in states rebelling against the United States, provided protection for those who had escaped slavery and invited freed slaves to join the Union Army.

Since 1866, a growing number of Americans celebrate Juneteenth on June 19. In 1979, Texas became the first state to officially acknowledge the holiday, and in 2021, Juneteenth became the newest U.S. federal holiday. Many resources and perspectives offer ways to celebrate or commemorate Juneteenth with children and engage with racial equity and social justice issues, including:


If you are commemorating Juneteenth in your program, share your stories with us in the comments below.


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