Did you know?
Juneteenth, observed annually on June 19th, commemorates the end of slavery in the United States.
In 2021, President Biden signed the law that makes Juneteenth a federal holiday.
In 1863, during the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which declared freedom for the millions of enslaved people living in the Confederacy.
African Americans who lived in Texas did not hear about the proclamation for over two years. Union soldiers broke the news of slavery’s abolishment upon arriving in Galveston, Texas on June 19, 1865. Celebrations ensued, and Juneteenth was born.
The Daily Yonder: Keep It Rural published an outstanding article by Anya Slepyan about the Equal Justice Initiative -- a national movement to acknowledge and remember the shameful history of lynchings in this country. The article, "The practice of memory: Commemorating America's history of racial terror," is well worth the read.
BCDP and BCDWomen are joining our Columbus County counterparts at the Juneteenth "Celebrating Freedom" Festival, Columbus County Fairgrounds, on Monday. Come out and join us for great food, music, vendors, and fun!
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