Juneteenth for many is a well-known celebration. It is certainly among our nation's older traditions, starting in 1866 just after the civil war. And while this week it becomes a national holiday, many questions still remain as to its origins and to how it is viewed by the African American community and America at large.
In this episode, I record from the steps of the DuSable museum on the South Side of Chicago, where I spoke to members of the audience during a special Juneteenth reopening of the museum.
Ms. Darreyl Young-Gibson, a local public school teacher from Chicago, told me her thoughts on the holiday as did Alicia Spears of the National Council of African Women. I also feature a beautiful poem by Ms. Betty Davis.