Event organizers across the country are planning for thousands to come out for celebrations and marches protesting racism and police brutality on Friday, June 19, which marks the day the last slaves in the U.S. were freed.
Amy Yeboah, an assistant professor of Africana Studies at Howard University, a historically black university, said the day is often about educating children and future generations about their history, but this year it will take on additional significance.
“In this year 2020, if everyone is looking at recognizing and admitting that there is institutional racism, discrimination, honoring and recognizing Juneteenth kind of gives it a sense of longevity that this is not just about George Floyd and Breonna Taylor today—this is a long conversation,” she said.
