Juneteenth is the commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. On June 19th, 1865, Union soldiers, lead by Major General Gordon Granger, arrived in Galveston, Texas with news that the war had ended and every single enslaved person was now free. The date of this deeply overdue insurgence is an important one – for it was two years later than the date the Emancipation Proclamation was made effective due to difficulties in enforcing the law within Confederate-controlled states.
In honor of Juneteenth, we highlight nineteen powerful voices in our musical community. Their voices and stories are essential parts of the tapestry of our musical lives. We invite you to carry their music and stories with you, today and every day.
Photo courtesy of Chari Glogovac-Smith’s website