Inside the Movement to Make Juneteenth a Nationally Recognized Holiday
The first enslaved African people were brought to stolen Indigenous land in August 1619. From that day onward, Black Americans and their allies have fought a relentless battle against white supremacy that included property damage, harrowing freedom escapes, armed rebellions, and more. It’s important that we name this truth: Black people have always been invested in and actively working toward our own liberation.
On January 1, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, yet this message wouldn’t make it to Texas until June 19, 1865. Only then were all formerly enslaved Black Americans notified of their freedom.