Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é Anchor Demetria Green talks with historians about what you should know about Juneteenth
Juneteenth is a celebration of freedom. It became a federal holiday two years ago; however, many people Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é talked to do not understand the holiday.
Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é anchor Demetria Green talked to two North Alabama historians about the three takeaways everyone should know about Juneteenth.Ìý
“Our history is not all glamorous, but they are still our stories and we can learn from them,†said Peggy Towns.Ìý
Towns is the author of three books focusing on black people in Alabama, who changed the fabric of our country. “I love telling our stories and dressing in character for young people because it's a way to get our story across to them better,†said Towns.Ìý
William Hampton founded the Huntsville Revisited Museum. It features photos, artifacts and stories of the Rocket City.Ìý
Both local historians work overtime educating the community about Juneteenth.Ìý
Here are three things they want you to know about the holiday. One, understand the history behind it.Ìý
President Abraham Lincoln declared the Emancipation Proclamation would go into effect on January 1, 1863. There was no internet, nor phones to quickly disseminate the information.
It took two years for the news to make it to Texas.Ìý
“On June 19,1865, General Gordon Granger rode into Galveston, Texas. There was a group of enslaved people in Texas who did not know they were free,†said Hampton.Ìý
This is when Juneteenth was born..
It gets its name from the two words: June and nineteenth.Ìý
“[Granger] urged them to stay on the plantations or farms, but he said, you will get paid for your work,†said Towns.ÌýÌý
The second takeaway is to celebrate the occasion.Ìý
The news sparked joyous celebrations all across the country. The earliest celebrations date back to the 1860s.Those traditions continue today with festivals, concerts, parades and lectures.Ìý
“We share these stories of the enslaved who built up Madison County. It's important for future generations to know these stories,†said Towns.Ìý
The third takeaway is to take action.Ìý
“The important thing to take away from here is to go research and interview older family members who have these stories. Then, write them down, record them and videotape them,†said Hampton.Ìý
Towns adds, it is also a time to reflect on the oppression that many people in the world experience today.
They both urge us to learn the truth of our stories. “America, let's live up to the promise that all men are created equal and that liberty and justice for all,†said Hampton.
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