Juneteenth!

uscitzenpod: USCIS 100:76 Emancipation Proclamation and Juneteenth

Today we continue our exploration of the USCIS History and Government questions and African American History. Today we will talk about USCIS 100:76. What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?

We will first read about Q76 from the USCIS M638 quick civics lesson. Then we will listen to an interview with Robin Braxton who helps organizes our local Juneteenth festival. Robin will talk about Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day or Emancipation Day. Juneteenth celebrates the day when slaves in Texas heard about the Emancipation Proclamation. Juneteenth is also a holiday that celebrates African American history and culture. Let's get started!

VOANews: Annual Juneteenth Festival Celebrated Around the World

The news that US President Abraham Lincoln had emancipated slaves in the rebellious southern states in September, 1862, did not reach slaves in Texas until June 19, 1865, a few months after the end of the US Civil war. With the arrival of federal troops that day, and the end of slavery, the newly freed African Americans held a big celebration, which they called Juneteenth. As VOA's Greg Flakus reports from Houston, Juneteenth has been celebrated annually ever since... and not just in Texas.

More Juneteenth ESL/Citizenship Resources:

• EL Civics: The Emancipation Proclamation and Juneteenth
• ESL-Test.com: Juneteenth Grammar Quiz
• ESL Video Quiz: The Emancipation Proclamation
• ListenAndReadAlong: Emancipation Proclamation Exhibit - VOA Mosaic in Special English
• VOANews: June 19th Marks a Joyous, Yet Solemn, Occasion
• VOANews: Juneteenth Observance Marks 142nd Anniversary of the Formal End of US Slavery
• VOANews: Obama Marks Juneteenth as 'Time of Reflection, Appreciation'
• VOAVideo: Anniversary: Document First Step for African-American Slaves on the Road to Equality
• VOAVideo: Order to Free Slaves 'Beginning of America Really Becoming America'
• VOA Learning English: Looking at a Piece of U.S. History: the Amendment That Banned Slavery
• uscitizenpod: Juneteenth 2013