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Showing posts with the label Slavery

Juneteenth: President Obama Recognized It. Organization Wants More.

Last week was the official Juneteenth observance day. Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration commemorating the ending of slavery in the United States. The state of Texas is widely considered the first U.S. state to begin Juneteenth celebrations with informal observances taking place for over a century; it has been an official state holiday since 1980. Imagine that. The state that jails more African American people than any other; the state where James Byrd was dragged from the rear of a pickup truck - body parts strewn along the highway by a white hate group, was the first state to recognize the emancipation of its slaves. Last Friday, The National Juneteenth Observance Foundation held a prayer breakfast and discussion at the National Press Club.    Among the panelists was Reverend Ronald Myers of the National Juneteenth Christian Leadership Council.  In our video interview with him, Dr. Myers explains the need for a national Juneteenth holiday . Kem Lam...