Although President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, it wasn’t until two years later on June 19, 1865, that the news reached slaves in Texas. They were the last to be freed and celebrated with songs and prayer — a day that later became known as Juneteenth. While the holiday is celebrated mainly by African Americans, in this conversation, Janelle Everett, Kelly and Sherry Patterson talk about how they hope it will someday be embraced by the nation as America’s second Independence Day.
Air date: Thursday, June 16, 2022
- Full show: Juneteenth: A work in progress.