On January 1, 1863, the Emancipation Proclamation freed 3.1 million of the nation’s 4 million enslaved people. On June 19, 1865 enslaved Africans in the state of Texas and parts of Louisiana received word of their emancipation 2.5 years later. The celebratory date is known as Juneteenth (June plus nineteenth). The date is honored by remembering the legacy of enslaved African ancestors, worship services, family gatherings and speaking out against racial injustices. Read the full article »
“History despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived, but if faced with courage, need not be lived again.”