Celebrating and understanding Juneteenth

Juneteenth is the oldest known commemoration honoring the end of slavery in the United States.

But the freedom that so many longed for did not happen instantaneously.

JUNETEENTH IS ALSOKNOWN AS"FREEDOM"... OR"JUBILEE DAY" -- ITCOMMEMORATESJUNE NINETEENTH,EIGHTEEN-SIXTY-FIVE -THE DAY THE LASTENSLAVED PEOPLELEARNED OF THEIREMANCIPATION IN THEU-S.AND TODAY, A GROUPOF SENATEDEMOCRATSANNOUNCING THEYWILL INTRODUCE THEJUNETEENTHNATIONALINDEPENDENCE DAYACT.IF PASSED, THIS WILLMAKE JUNETEENTHTHE FIRST NEWFEDERAL HOLIDAYSINCE MARTIN LUTHERKING DAY WASRECOGNIZED IN"NINETEEN-EIGHTY-THREE".TONIGHT, 7EYEWITNESS NEWSREPORTER ALAERREBHI EXPLORESTHE HISTORY OFJUNETEENTH AND THEPUSH TO MAKE IT ANATIONAL HOLIDAY.ONCAM: JUNETEENTH IS THEOLDEST KNOWNCOMMEMORATIONHONORING THE ENDOF SLAVERY IN THEU.S. WHAT IS IT'SSIGNIFICANCE?"THE EMANCIPATIONPROCLAMATION WASISSUED BY PRESIDENTABRAHAM LINCOLN ONJANUARY FIRST, 1863.AND THATESTABLISHED THAT ALLENSLAVED PEOPLE INTHE CONFEDERATESTATES THAT WERE INREBELLION AGAINSTTHE UNION WILL BEFREE,"BUT THAT FREEDOMTHAT SO MANYLONGED FOR DIDN'THAPPENINSTANTANEOUSLY."BETWEEN 1863 AND1865 THEY DIDN'TEVEN TELL THESESLAVES THAT THEYHAD BEEN FREED.

ANDPART OF IT HAD TO DOWITH THE FACT THATTHEY WANTED TOCONTINUE TO GETTHESE SLAVES TOTAKE CARE OF THEHARVEST,"MURRAY HOLMAN, AJUNETEENTH BOARDMEMBER, SAYS IT'SIMPORTANT THAT THISPIECE OF HISTORY ISTAUGHT ANDUNDERSTOOD."IT'S IMPORTANT TOALL COMMUNITIESTHAT WE PUSH THEHISTORY OUT TO THECOMMUNITY FOR OURCHILDREN AND OURELDERS TOUNDERSTAND THATTHERE IS A STORYTHAT NEEDS TO BETOLD.

A CORRECT WAYOF THE STORY BEINGTOLD,"GOV.

CUOMO ISSUEDAN EXECUTIVE ORDERTHIS WEEKRECOGNIZINGJUNETEENTH AS AHOLIDAY FOR STATEEMPLOYEES.THERE'S NOW A PUSHTO MAKE IT ANATIONAL HOLIDAY."I MEAN IT'S OVERDUE,YOU KNOW IT'SDEFINITELY OVERDUE.WE ONLY GOT MARTINLUTHER KING DAY,AND NOW TO HAVEANOTHER DAY OF USUNIFIED."HOLMAN SAYS HEHOPES ANYTIMESOMEONE MENTIONSTHE MONTH JUNE,THEY AUTOMATICALLYTHINK OFJUNETEENTH.IN BUFFALO, ALAERREBHI, 7 EWN.