UPDATED: 2:54 a.m. ET, June 19, 2020 —
Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day or Emancipation Day, is a holiday of notable significance for many African Americans.
Celebrated in more than 40 states as a holiday, the cultural impact of Juneteenth is a resonant reminder of the country’s ugly past regarding the enslavement of Blacks.
With the roots of the holiday starting in Texas, the coastal city of Galveston, which served as the theater for the Union’s seizure and possession of the state, still remains the central area where Juneteenth celebrations have continued for decades.
With June also serving as African American Music Appreciation Month (also known as Black Music Month), Juneteenth organizers would stage several jazz- and music-related events incorporating the theme of emancipation at the root.
To this day, the “Modern Juneteenth Movement” is working hard to get legislation passed to have the day recognized as a nationally observed holiday.
