The Importance of Juneteenth
The Real Juneteenth: A time to reflect on the impact of trauma on the mental health status of the African American community
Guest Blog By: Nicki King, Ph.D.
Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when former slaves in Texas learned of the Emancipation Proclamation, meaning they were free. Please note the date: June 19, 1865, more than two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued, six months after Congress passed the 13th Amendment abolishing slavery and two months after Lee surrendered at Appomattox.
Juneteenth should be a day of reflection, not only in the African American community, but nationwide, of the lingering impact of trauma caused by slavery and continued institutional racism on the descendants of the enslaved.
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