American freedom is not just celebrated in July. Every 19th of June since 1865, Black Americans have celebrated “Juneteenth,” the day enslaved people in Texas were finally declared free people, no longer “masters and slaves” but now “employer and hired labor.” As joyful as this day was for enslaved Americans, the celebration of Juneteenth also symbolizes the ongoing struggle for basic civil rights that people of color in this country have always fought for. The Emancipation Proclamation, after all, was issued in 1863.
The Origins and Legacy of Juneteenth
The Origins and Legacy of Juneteenth
The Origins and Legacy of Juneteenth
American freedom is not just celebrated in July. Every 19th of June since 1865, Black Americans have celebrated “Juneteenth,” the day enslaved people in Texas were finally declared free people, no longer “masters and slaves” but now “employer and hired labor.” As joyful as this day was for enslaved Americans, the celebration of Juneteenth also symbolizes the ongoing struggle for basic civil rights that people of color in this country have always fought for. The Emancipation Proclamation, after all, was issued in 1863.