What Exactly IS Juneteenth?
Today, Monday, the 19th, is Juneteenth. Juneteenth's also known as Freedom Day, or Emancipation Day. This day commemorates the announcement of the abolition of slavery down in Texas, on June 19, 1865. It actually came more than 2 years AFTER the Emancipation Proclamation, issued by President Abraham Lincoln, on January 1, 1863. This "delayed" enforcement of the proclamation in Texas, illustrates the complicated history of the struggle & challenges faced by African Americans during that era. Although Juneteenth marks our country's SECOND Independence Day, it's been long it's celebrated in the African American community for some time. Happy Juneteenth!