There’s been a lot of talk the last few days about Juneteenth — professional sports leagues, teams, and other companies have announced that they’re giving their employees the day off. Some made the announcement and called it a “day to reflect”, while others are encouraging employees to support Black-owned restaurants or Black authors.
But what exactly is Juneteenth and why are we hearing so much about it right now?
The short version is that Juneteenth, or Freedom Day, is a celebration of the day that the last enslaved Black Americans got word that they were free.
American schoolchildren are taught about the Emancipation Proclamation, but few learn about Juneteenth, a word made from combining June and nineteenth.