Juneteenth, once celebrated only in Texas, has spread all around the country. 31 states currently recognize Juneteenth as a state holiday. It is the oldest known commemoration celebrating the end of slavery in the United States. For more on the history and celebration of Juneteenth, see
here. For a historian's perspective that nuances and comments on the way the story of Juneteenth is usually told, see
this short essay by Professor Thavolia Glymph of Duke University.
What are your memories and experiences, if any, of Juneteenth celebrations? What is your reaction to Professor Glymph's essay? Feel free to share them in the comments below. Blogs are meant for conversation, not just for one-way reading.
Elizabeth Catlett, "Sharecropper"
Elizabeth Catlett, "Sharecropper"
1 comment:
Thanks Jane. I like the way Thavolia Glymph points out that too often we paint the white General Granger as the hero of the story and thereby ignore black people's own contributions.
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