The other independence day in the United States
As protests against police brutality and racism sweep the nation, many in the US are recognising a Black holiday celebrating emancipation.
Juneteenth, as it is known, is the day in 1865 when a group of enslaved people in Galveston, Texas finally learned that slavery had been abolished two years before.
June 19 has been known as the true day of independence in the Black community for more than 150 years, and now, state governments and companies are finally taking notice.
In this episode:
Michael Harriot, senior writer for The Root; Michael Hurd, an historian and director of Prairie View A&M University’s Texas Institute for the Preservation of History and Culture; Opal Lee, a 93-year-old activist and advocate for Juneteenth becoming a US federal holiday.
For more:
Juneteenth: A call for progress and national recognition
US slavery: What is Juneteenth and how is it commemorated?
US corporations mark Juneteenth, but will deeper change follow?
The team:
Amy Walters produced this episode with Dina Kesbeh, Alexandra Locke, Priyanka Tilve, Ney Alvarez and Malika Bilal. Alex Roldan is the sound designer. Natalia Aldana is the engagement producer. Stacey Samuel is The Take‘s executive producer, and Graelyn Brashear is Al Jazeera’s head of audio.
Connect with us:
Follow The Take on Twitter (@AJTheTake), Facebook and Instagram (@ajthetake)
Subscribe:
New episodes of the show come out every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Subscribe to The Take on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever you listen.