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US Independence Year, 1776 or 1865?

Updated: Jun 14, 2023

Author: Tanisha N. Jones

“Absolute Equality,” a mural by Houston artist Reginald Adams. Photo credit: Published in the Summer 2021 issue of Houstonia Magazine.


Americans will soon celebrate Juneteenth on June 19th, marking the day when the last enslaved people in the United States learned they were free by federal decree. The national reckoning over race ignited by the 2020 murder of George Floyd by police helped set the stage for the establishment of the first new federal holiday since 1983, when Martin Luther King Jr. Day was created. The conversation around freedom, justice, and equality in American society came full circle in 2021, as President Biden signed a bill passed by US Congress into law establishing June 19th – Juneteenth, as a federal holiday. This year, the White House will hold a concert on June 13th, aligned with Black Music Month. A White House spokesperson noted “the concert will uplift American art forms that sing to the soul of the American experience.” Artists who will be featured include Tony Award winner Audra McDonald, singer and talk show host Jennifer Hudson, and Cliff “Method Man” Smith, a member of the legendary hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan.





 
 
 

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