Tag
Juneteenth is the oldest commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. Although President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, the news took two years to travel to the last enclave of enslaved people in Galveston, Texas on June 19, 1865. While Juneteenth has been recognized for decades by black communities across the nation, it has gained…
Continue readingIt seems right to borrow the words of the founding director of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, Lonnie Bunch III, who dubbed Juneteenth both a local story and a national one. “For me it’s an opportunity to both look back but to look ahead to make sure that that notion of freedom and the fragility of…
Continue readingIn celebration of Juneteenth, I started with a poignant statement from President Biden: “Nations don’t ignore their most painful moments. They confront them to grow stronger.” In honoring the recently minted holiday of Juneteenth, that is the sentiment we carried forward during our recognition. We celebrated the end of slavery in the United States in 1865, more than two years…
Continue reading