Bringing Juneteenth To The Mainstream
The Texas State Marker in Galveston where Union army general Gordon Granger's reading of federal orders on June 19, 1865 proclaimed that all enslaved persons in the U.S. state of Texas were now free. City of Galveston
On June 19, 1865, Union army general Gordon Granger arrived in Texas to read federal orders in the city of Galveston, announcing that all enslaved persons in the state of Texas were free. However, this happened two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, abolishing slavery. Juneteenth 2020 falls at a moment in American history when conversations about racism and white supremacy, sparked by the killing of George Floyd, are at the forefront.
We speak with an expert on African-American studies and a representative from DuSable Museum to explain the significance of Juneteenth and designating Juneteenth as a federal holiday.
Guests:
Courtney Pierre Joseph, assistant professor of History and African American Studies at Lake Forest College
Chip Moody, manager of New Media and Community Partnerships at DuSable Museum
Prepared for web by Zainab Qureshi