What to the slave is the Fourth of July?
Frederick Douglass first asked this question that many Black Americans continue to ponder.
Juneteenth is a play on the date of June 19, 1865. This date marks the day when Black Union troops made their way to Galveston, Texas, and announced that all enslaved African Americans were free.
Although the Emancipation Proclamation went into effect on January 1, 1863, news of freedom slowly made its way to Texas and most western rebelling states.
On this episode of Black Talk host, Michele Simpson talks with eight Black Coloradans about their Juneteenth stories. We hear where her guests first learned about Juneteenth and how they have celebrated what some refer to as Freedom Day and plan to commemorate it in 2024.
The 8 Storytellers:
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Dr. Samuel Collins, Historian also known as Professor Juneteenth
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Dr. Dawn Robinson, Obstetrician-gynecologist
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Kalonji Nzinga, Professor, MC
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Franklin Chilaka, School of Education Doctoral Student
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Bernard Henry, Retired Denver Police Officer, School Resource Officer
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Kenneth Flowe, KGNU Underwriting Manager and Director of Membership of NAACP Boulder County
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Yvette Rollins, Event Producer, YJR Events
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Shiquita Yarbrough, Longmont City Council, Mental Health Partners, and Vice Chair of KGNU’s Board of Directors
This story was produced by Alexis Kenyon for Black Talk
