Juneteenth marks our country’s second Independence Day. Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending slavery in the United States. On June 19, 1865, over two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed and nearly five months after the 13th Amendment was proposed (it would not be ratified until December 6, 1865), enslaved people in Texas learned that they were free.
The Center will mark the official observance of Juneteenth on Monday, June 20 with a series of virtual programs.
The Four Harriets Show
Monday, June 20, 10 a.m. ET
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Participants can explore the lives of four American women—Harriet Robinson Scott, Harriet Tubman, Harriet Jacobs, and Harriet Beecher Stowe—who confronted slavery through literature, lawsuits, and direct action in their efforts to free themselves and others from bondage.
Virtual Civil War and Reconstruction Exhibit Tour
Monday, June 20, 12 p.m. ET
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Commemorate Juneteenth with a FREE virtual tour of our exhibit Civil War and Reconstruction: The Battle for Freedom and Equality. Participants will explore the exhibit with a live museum educator and discover how constitutional clashes over slavery set the stage for the Civil War, and how the nation transformed the Constitution during the Reconstruction period by taking a particularly close look at the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments.
The Road to Freedom Show
Monday, June 20, 2 p.m. ET
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This program explores the story of slavery in the United States through a constitutional lens, taking visitors on a journey from the time of the Constitutional Convention to the start of the Civil War. It will spotlight historic figures—like George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Ona Judge, Angelina Grimke, Harriet Tubman, William Still, and Abraham Lincoln—and key events—such as the Missouri Compromise, the Compromise of 1850, the Kansas-Nebraska Act, the Dred Scott case, and the secession of the South.
Juneteenth: Tracing the Origins and Significance
Monday, June 20, 7 p.m. ET
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As part of the National Constitution Center's two-day celebration commemorating Juneteenth, join a conversation with William B. Allen of Michigan State University, Hasan Kwame Jeffries of The Ohio State University, and others exploring the history and meaning of the holiday, its connection to July 4 and the Declaration of Independence, and more. Jeffrey Rosen, president and CEO of the National Constitution Center, moderates.
Virtual tours are also available to book anytime! Participants can join from the classroom or from home through a secure Zoom link, accessible from a home computer, laptop, or phone. The Center will provide all of the necessary resources. Click here to learn more or to book your experience.
