Juneteenth: A Story of Freedom

Wednesday, Jun. 16, 7 p.m. via Zoom
Presenters: Earl Ijames, Curator of African American, Agriculture, and Community History, North Carolina Museum of History; Chrystal Regan, Education Section Chief, North Carolina Museum of History

Juneteenth (short for “June Nineteenth”) marks the day in 1865 (June 19th) when federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, to take control of the state and ensure that all enslaved people were freed—a full two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed and more than two months after America’s Civil War “officially” ended. Juneteenth—a celebration that spread the word about the passage of the 13th Amendment, which outlawed slavery in the United States—is an important milestone in the fight for equality and provides an opportunity for us all to pause and consider the meaning of freedom and to rededicate ourselves to telling stories that reflect all members of our community.

Please join Ijames and Regan in an insightful conversation to examine the history behind this holiday and reveal why its celebration is more important now than ever. They will also explore North Carolina’s special connections to the historic event and share details about Raleigh’s inaugural Juneteenth Celebration.