SHAPE COLLAGE PRESCHOOL FREE
Our 2018 Teaching Hard History report found that 59 percent of high school students couldn’t correctly identify the latter as the legal end to slavery in the United States.īut it’s important for students to know that enslaved people didn’t willfully accept enslavement or wait for others to free them.
Perhaps many center Lincoln in this history because we tend to think of the Emancipation Proclamation, instead of the 13th Amendment, as ending slavery. government’s role in granting freedom while also placing the onus to navigate through a racist society solely on the formerly enslaved. It’s important that we don’t whitewash this history.Ī common mistake among those who teach the history of American slavery is to center the U.S. It’s also a time to share the experiences of those who fought- literally and figuratively-to seek true freedom for future generations. That’s why Juneteenth is more than an observance of freedom. Teaching Juneteenth: Understanding Emancipation People retell histories, have family reunions, eat foods reminiscent of early Juneteenth celebrations such as barbeque, attend religious services or choir performances and have elaborate displays such as fancy dress and parades. Today, it doesn’t look that much different. With this knowledge, students can also identify ways the descendants of the enslaved recapture and honor the cultures, customs and practices lost through slavery.Įarly celebrations involved readings of the Emancipation Proclamation, religious ceremonies, singing, games and enjoying foods that enslaved people ate. Early Juneteenth observances included a search for lost family members and an opportunity to uplift each other as they moved through hostile environments. Teaching Juneteenth: Culture as ResistanceĪlthough the truth had been hidden from them-and they continued to face threats of continued oppression, violence and death-a year after they learned of their freedom, formerly enslaved people resiliently rallied around that date and made the celebration an annual ritual. Students, particularly Black students, can find empowerment in the jubilant celebrations of culture, activism and the humanity of a people. Lessons about Juneteenth need to recognize the challenges those who fight injustice have always faced, but they shouldn’t be marked only by the tragedy of enslavement. There are many ways to teach students about this celebration. Initially a uniquely Texan observance, Juneteenth has now been recognized in some form in every corner of the country. Lee surrendered and ended the Civil War and two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. This celebration marks a day in 1865 when enslaved Texans learned they’d be free-two months after Robert E.
They celebrate freedom in both solemn and festive ceremonies. They celebrate being their authentic selves. Juneteenth activities feature the sights and sounds of Blackness: People enjoying art, music and food that connect them to a shared ancestry and history. Editor’s note: Since the publication of this article, Juneteenth was declared a federal national holiday in 2021.Įach year around June 19, Black communities across the country unite for a family reunion of sorts.
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