June 19th has long been known as "Juneteenth," but many people don't really know or understand the significance of the date. It is a day of celebration going back to 1865, commemorating when Union soldiers led by General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston Texas with news that the civil war had ended and that slaves are free.
This was two and a half years later after President Abraham Lincoln had signed the Emancipation Proclamation in January 1863. We were joined today by award winning UCLA professor Dr. Brenda Stevenson to learn more about the history of the date, it's lasting significance, and what it means in 2020.
Listen to our interview with Dr. Brenda Stevenson below: