There’s more than one Independence Day in the United States. On June 19, 1865, over two and a half years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation, enslaved African Americans in Texas were told they were free.
Although it’s a federal holiday, there is still a lot more we need to know about this historical event.
“It’s important, especially today, but it was important in the past because you’re talking about a group of people who were in a society, but they were not of the society because they were enslaved,” said Kibibi Mack-Shelton, a Professor of African American Studies at the University of Central Florida.“First of all, the name Juneteenth actually came from a white general. His name was General Gordon Granger. It wasn’t just Texas who had not legally abolished slavery.
Another lesser-known fact is there is a Juneteenth flag. The flag is red, white and blue and incudes the star of the Texas flag, and the “new star,” representing a new freedom and a new people. “It has, in my opinion, even a larger impact that goes beyond African American history because it’s had an impact on U.S. history,” Mack-Shelton said.
Ways to celebrate Juneteenth are supporting Black-owned businesses, reading books written by Black authors and poets, visiting an exhibit or museum dedicated to Black culture, or donating to organizations or charities that support the Black community.
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