celebrating freedom

6/18/2018

Hello to all reading this post! If you are a teacher, school administrator, or instructional coach like me, I hope you are enjoying your summer vacation so far. I am especially enjoying this much needed break from the hustle and bustle of work; needless to say, I look forward to the weeks ahead. While I'm enjoying time off I have been getting out to enjoy time with family and friends. In fact, I wanted to dedicate this post to one of the celebrations that many people recognize every year...So over the weekend in many parts of the country, Juneteenth was celebrated. For some who may be wondering what Juneteenth is or even what that means, Juneteenth Independence Day or Freedom Day, is an American holiday that commemorates the June 19, 1865, announcement of the abolition of slavery in the U.S. state of Texas, and more generally the emancipation of enslaved Africans and Black Americans throughout the former Confederacy of the southern United States. Its name is a combination of the word"June" and "nineteenth", the date of its celebration. It is important to note that Juneteenth is recognized as a state holiday or special day of observance in forty-five states. A celebration was held in my city this past weekend on the lawn outside the history museum. The celebration included poetry reading by local Black authors, African dance, Black vendors selling African and Black artwork, as well as the historical reenactment of the news being delivered to slaves in Galvaston, Texas 1865.
Although Juneteenth is recognized in many parts of the country, most Social Studies curriculum fails to include this information so that our young people are made aware of the significance of this holiday.
Below are a a few links that I wanted to share with you this week as part of my post about Juneteenth, I hope you find them helpful. In the meantime, stay cool during these early summer days and as always...go out there and be GREAT!