columnist Renée Graham wrote that Juneteenth deserves an elevated status — noting that many African Americans regard the nation's July 4 holiday with deep ambivalence. Graham also mentioned that Thomas Jefferson, who wrote "All men are created equal," owned hundreds of enslaved people."
While Texas was the first state to observe Juneteenth as a state holiday, many others have since followed suit. Only five states do not recognize the day of celebration — Hawaii, Montana, New Hampshire, South Dakota and North Dakota.
This act gave the federal government the power to enforce desegregation while prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, religion or national origin.
Dr. King spoke in front of roughly 200,000 people at the Lincoln Memorial. Now, a half century later, his speech ranks among the all-time most inspirational in American history.
Even though they were officially made aware of the Emancipation Proclamation on this day, many slaves stayed with their masters as paid hands. Of those who chose to leave their former owners, some were tracked down and killed. The proclamation did not mean immediate freedom.
