As Georgians of all ages attend one of the many upcoming Juneteenth celebrations, young residents are reflecting on what they have learned and how they feel about the holiday, which commemorates the end of slavery in the United States.
Juneteenth recognizes June 19, 1865, the day that Union soldiers notified enslaved African Americans living in Galveston, Texas of their freedom. Though Juneteenth has long been celebrated in Black communities, it only became a federal holiday in 2021.
The holiday is included in Georgia’s educational guidelines, but specific teaching around its relevance and history varies across schools.
According to state standards updated in 2021, kindergartners are expected to identify and describe Juneteenth, along with other national holidays. Exact curriculum, however, is determined by local districts, state Department of Education spokeswoman Meghan Frick said. She explained that while Juneteenth is only explicitly mentioned in kindergarten, the state standards set minimum requirements, meaning districts can discuss the holiday in any class.
Even as debates about what is said in the classroom grow ever more contentious — last year, Gov. Brian Kemp signed a bill limiting how teachers can talk about race and racism — students in metro Atlanta continue to consider the importance of Juneteenth in their own lives.
Laiyah Browning, 11
Credit: Alice Tecotzky
Credit: Alice Tecotzky
Though Laiyah Browning, 11, just graduated from elementary school in Hampton, she has not discussed Juneteenth in school and instead only learned about the 1863 Emancipation Proclamation, in which President Abraham Lincoln declared all enslaved people in Confederate territory free.
“They never talked about it, especially in fifth grade,” she said. “I think I should’ve learned about Juneteenth. It’s an important day you should talk about because that’s when we were free.” She believes that students should not only discuss how people remained enslaved in the Confederacy, but also the persistent racism in northern states.
When asked whether it is important to continue recognizing Juneteenth, Browning responded with an emphatic yes.
“We should always be happy that we were free,” she said. “What if it didn’t happen? We could probably still be enslaved.”
This year, the 11-year-old plans to celebrate by eating a slice of cake — red velvet with cream cheese frosting, to be exact.
Alex Vargas, 12
Credit: Alice Tecotzky
Credit: Alice Tecotzky
Alex Vargas, 12, a student in Marietta, knows about the historical significance of Juneteenth: “June 19 was when slavery was ended and people had the freedom to speak against slavery.”
Vargas, however, is unsure of whether he gleaned such knowledge in school — he doesn’t remember his teachers talking about Juneteenth, but admits he may have forgotten the lesson.
Vargas finished kindergarten by the time state standards included Juneteenth, but he believes students should discuss its relevance in school.
“June 19 is something to remember for life, or at least until you forget, because it was important for many people,” he said.
Andriell Reynolds, 19
Credit: Alice Tecotzky
Credit: Alice Tecotzky
After finishing a visit to Atlanta’s National Center for Civil and Human Rights, Andriell Reynolds, 19, realized how much she did not know about Juneteenth.
“This experience in here really taught me a lot of things that I was aware of, but not too aware of,” Reynolds said. At her high school in Stone Mountain, she did not learn extensively about the holiday.
“They didn’t really express how important, important, important it was and what sacrifices other people went through,” Reynolds explained. “We normally hear about Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, the bigger people. What about the lesser people and what they went through?”
This year, Reynolds plans to say a prayer of appreciation for those who fought and sacrificed their livelihoods for freedom.
“There’s always more out there to learn,” she said. “Always do your personal research, especially on Juneteenth.”
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