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What is Juneteenth, and why is it important? - Karlos K. Hill and Soraya Field Fiorio

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At the end of the Civil War, though slavery was technically illegal in all states, it still persisted in the last bastions of the Confederacy. This was the case when Union General Gordon Granger marched his troops into Galveston, Texas on June 19th and announced that all enslaved people there were officially free. Karlos K. Hill and Soraya Field Fiorio dig into the history of Juneteenth.

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Additional Resources for you to Explore

Want to know more about the historical background of Juneteenth and its impact today? For perspective on the slavery and its aftermath consult Voices of Juneteenth. When did enslaved blacks learn about the Emancipation Proclamation? What year did enslaved blacks gain freedom? For insights on Juneteenth facts and myths, consult the Juneteenth Explained, Five Myths about Juneteenth, and Juneteenth Fact Sheet. In 2021, the U.S. Congress made Juneteenth a federal holiday. Learn about how Juneteenth continues to reverberate by watching Vox’s Why All Americans Should Celebrate Juneteenth and read Juneteenth Should Remind America What It Owes Black Citizens. 

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Meet The Creators

  • Educator Karlos K. Hill, Soraya Field Fiorio
  • Director Rémi Cans, Atypicalist
  • Narrator Christina Greer
  • Animator Dabid Pascual
  • Art Director Marine Hennes
  • Sound Designer Weston Fonger
  • Composer Jarrett Farkas
  • Director of Production Gerta Xhelo
  • Producer Anna Bechtol
  • Associate Producer Abdallah Ewis
  • Editorial Director Alex Rosenthal
  • Editorial Producer Cella Wright
  • Fact-Checker Charles Wallace

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