Tomorrow we Celebrate Juneteenth, the freeing of Black slaves in Texas two years after the Emancipation Proclamation (1863) at the end of the Civil War (1865).
In cities across New Mexico we celebrate this holiday now signed into law along with New
Mexico's rich African American history that began with the arrival of the first Spanish explorers.
Empancipation Day celebration in 1900.
In a KUNM podcast recorded in 2019, New Mexicans working to share this legacy speak about the holiday and New Mexico's African American history. The podcast guests include
Cathryn McGill, Founder and Director, New Mexico Black History Organizing Committee
Rita Powdrell, Executive Director, African American Museum and Cultural Center of New Mexico
Ebony Isis Booth, Founder, Burque Noir
Jim Harvey, President, African American Performing Arts Center and Exhibit Hall
Find out more and listen here: https://www.kunm.org/local-news/2019-06-11/lets-talk-juneteenth-and-black-history-in-new-mexico
As KUNM asks ... How do you and your friends and family recognize Juneteenth? Do you have a family or personal history that showcases a unique experience of being black in New Mexico?