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.

• Vox Juneteenth
• Juneteenth Explained Vox
• Vox Juneteenth 2020

One reason Juneteenth’s history has remained widely misunderstood, or even unknown, is because it’s not often taught in schools. Karlos Hill, an author and University of Oklahoma professor of African and African American, told Vox in 2018 that. June 19 is a date commemorated in most states honoring June 19, 1865, or “Juneteenth,” as Vox explains. Word of slavery’s end traveled slowly, and for those who were largely isolated from. June 19, commonly referred to as Juneteenth, celebrates the official ending of slavery for Black Americans. Despite its cultural significance, most Americans don’t know the history behind Juneteenth and how it is celebrated.

We could explain the history, but Aloe Blacc and The Roots do a much better job than we could.

Vox Juneteenth

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.

Juneteenth Explained Vox

#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.

Vox Juneteenth 2020

Resources used that are great for further reading