June·teenth
- a holiday celebrated on June 19 to commemorate the emancipation of enslaved people in the US. The holiday was first celebrated in Texas, where on that date in 1865, in the aftermath of the Civil War, enslaved people were declared free under the terms of the 1862 Emancipation Proclamation.
Opal Lee, the “Grandmother of Juneteenth” shared her vision for the new federal holiday:
“Juneteenth means freedom for so many people, for so many reasons. I try to get people to understand it’s not a Texas thing, is not a Black thing — it’s freedom for everybody. I’m hoping, eventually, we will celebrate from the 19th of June to the Fourth of July; that would be celebrating freedom.”
We at Urban Media Today hope that the country we love will begin to reach for equality for all its citizens today and every day.
CHECK OUT MORE JUNETEENTH OFFERINGS FROM UMT:
- 7 Ways to Celebrate Juneteenth
- Juneteenth and Black Music Month 2023: Celebrate with these playlists
- What is Juneteenth?
- The Hey Girl Hey Podcast: Happy Juneteenth!
- Biden signs law making Juneteenth a federal holiday — but some remain unimpressed
- Are you ready for a Juneteenth musical?
- Urban Media Today Talks Sports Juneteenth Edition
Photo Credit: galvestonhistory.org
