BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – Thursday marks Juneteenth, 160 years since emancipation was fully recognized.
On June 19, 1865, enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas, learned they were free. The news came two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, which couldn’t be enforced in areas controlled by the Confederacy.
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Former President Joe Biden recognized Juneteenth as a federal holiday in 2021.
Our Sophia Thomas spoke to Joan Gorman of the Rokeby Museum about the historical significance of the day. Gorman said Juneteenth is a time to reflect and to be informed.
“It’s a bittersweet time. It’s a celebration, but it’s not the kind of celebration where you’re having big parties. It’s a kind of celebration where you’re acknowledging and reading and looking at the history,” Gorman said.
Watch the video to see the full interview.
Communities across Vermont including South Burlington, Bennington and White River Junction have events marking Juneteenth. There’s also free admission to the Rokeby Museum. Burlington has events on June 21.
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