President Joe Biden and his wife, first lady Jill Biden are hosting an early celebration to commemorate Juneteenth on June 13 on the South Lawn.
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Originating back in 1865, the slaves of Galveston, Texas were the last enslaved people to find out that slavery had ended. It was almost two-and-a-half years after Lincoln had signed the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863 when Union soldiers broke the news to those enslaved in Galveston on June 19, thus creating Juneteenth.
For decades Juneteenth has been a holiday that has gone without recognition and only acknowledged within Black communities, until 2021 when President Biden officially signed the date into law, declaring June 19 as a National Independence Day.
And now, President Biden and his wife are hosting a Juneteenth concert, also taking place during Black Music Month. It's a perfect way to celebrate both and let us tell you, the line up is stacked!
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The concert will feature performances from Jennifer Hudson, Method Man, Ledisi, Audra McDonald, the Tennessee State University Marching Band and much more!
Learn more from the official release here.
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