​
In 2021, the Taliban’s victory in the U.S.-Afghanistan war shocked the world. It has become the only country that has won both the superpowers, the United States and the Soviet Union. As a result, people were curious about what the Taliban was.

What is Taliban?

In 2007, there was an incident in which two people were killed in the “Taliban” kidnapping of Koreans. Even though the Korean government warned against the travel restraint, the missionaries ignored it, left for missionary work, and were kidnapped. South Korea even prepared to deploy special forces, but stopped when diplomatic negotiations were concluded, and there was a rumor that it unofficially paid billions of won in taxes.
​

The Taliban cruelly executed the two missionaries in the above case. The Taliban group exhibits extreme discrimination, rejects foreign cultures, and shows a tendency to brutally suppress women. Moreover, it is an organization that has been criticized internationally for destroying even world-class cultural heritages.
Taliban means “student”–but why are the students so cruel? They study conservative fundamentalism, interpret Islamic law according to their perspective, and apply it strictly. When a country is covered with extreme conservatism, extreme cruelty and confusion will follow.

Understanding the Taliban in Afghanistan

The origin of the Afghan Taliban began in the 1980s at the Afghan refugee camp in northern Pakistan. In the 1980s, when Russia invaded, resistance groups also avoided refugee camps. They worked like vigilante groups with the support of the “Pashtun” people in the south, and gradually developed their influence. Pakistan’s support also played a part in this.

​They started their activities with the Pashtun Movement. It has the character of a group that spreads Islamic hard-line ideas. The Afghan government forces were so corrupt that they seemed to be rather dignified and fair to the people. In fact, they promoted road construction and regional development for commercial development.

There are two reasons why they were supported. First, Afghanistan is a religious-community country. Second, it was the only alternative to foreign power. Due to these reasons, the Pashtun was supported by the Afghans despite of its cruel behavior. It is cruel to the weak, children, and women who are the same people, but because it is a patriarchal society, it is only perceived as a bit radical by Muslims.

However, the Talian believes that men should wear beards and women should wear burqas. Also, commercial movies and music are prohibited, and women over the age of 10 should not go to school or outside. If a woman walks around with her face out, she can be stoned to death, and criminals such as thieves can be amputated or killed.

US-Afghan War and the Taliban.

By 1996, they had taken control of the whole country except for some northern regions. However, in 2001, a decisive event occurred. The 911-terrorist attack on September 11, 2001 took place. After terrorists bought by “Osama bin Laden” hijacked the plane, they collided with the “World Trade Center” on the 110th floor, leaving tremendous damage.

The United States has started to punish them. The United States claimed that the Taliban was protecting him and asked him to come out, but the Taliban refused. In fact, bin Laden was the head of an armed terrorist organization, Al-Qaida. However, Islamic terrorist groups recognized him as a common hero, so he didn’t give it up until the end. Then, the United States invaded Afghanistan.
​

The early US-Afghanistan war was, of course, a one-sided victory for the United States. After the U.S. occupied Afghanistan, a government was established that united the Tajik, Uzbek, and Hajara, who were oppressed by the Taliban. As a result, it succeeded in extracting the Taliban regime, but resistance groups fled to Pakistan and others, so the war did not end immediately.
​
However, the United States began to neglect in Afghanistan as it started the “Iraq War.” Moreover, the Taliban set up a shelter in the Pashtun camp in northern Pakistan, crossed the Afghan border, fought guerrilla wars, and then went back. The place, which consists of deserts, high mountains, and forests, was suitable for guerrilla warfare.

Comparison between Afghan army and Taliban army

In fact, the Taliban’s weapons and combat power were not very high. However, there were weapons supported by the United States when fighting the Soviet Union in the past. Moreover, soldiers surrendered and brought weapons, and they have been fighting long-term with weapons stolen by attacking U.S. transport helicopters. They also attracted funds with the help of rebels.
​

The United States trained and gave weapons to the pro-American regime. The number of Afghan government troops was 300,000, far ahead of the Taliban’s 70,000. Moreover, Afghan military power had air force that the Taliban did not have at all (helicopters), and heavy-armed weapons were overwhelming. Afghanistan’s military power ranks 40th in the world. However, the real problem was the Afghan government.

The Afghanistan government was corrupt, and it was as if it had used government forces at an unpaid level. Naturally, the government forces began to move toward the Taliban, which paid quite highly. The U.S. has poured $100 trillion in subsidies, but the money has been evaporated into thin air, and the actual number of government troops has fallen to only one-sixth of the registered number.
​

Eventually, the United States, which signed a peace agreement in August 2021, withdrew from Afghanistan and the Taliban took control of the country. When the U.S. escaped, government troops gave up the battle and surrendered immediately, so the Taliban captured the capital “Kabul” in half of the expected period. Finally, the 20-year U.S.-Talibans war returned to the Taliban’s victory.​

As for my summer project at the end of my junior year, I’ve had the privilege to participate in the Seoul Museum’s Internship Program. The program provides high school students with insights into how a museum works in general. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the program is carried out virtually through Zoom meetings.

The program began with an introduction to many jobs and careers at the museum including a museum’s curator, education department, investigation department, artifact management department, exhibition department, and preservation department. During the program, students are asked to plan an exhibition for a given topic that relates to the history of Seoul.

The theme of the program was: the Enlightenment Period of Korea in Seoul. Before the Japanese Occupation of Korea between 1910 and 1945, Korea pursued an open policy to allow foreign culture and influence to enter the nation in order to make a step towards a pre-globalized world at the time. At the centre was the town Jeongdong.  It is an historical area with Deoksu Palace from the Joseon Dynasty and some of Korea’s first modern schools and churches.

For my research theme, I chose three different aspects of Jeongdong along its time line. Initially, Jeongdong was the site of many foreign embassies. This led to the period of establishment of schools (not only for boys but also girls), hospitals, and churches with the help of many missionaries. It flourished and embodied the foreign culture until the beginning of the Japanese Occupation of Korea.

I am currently working on the my project by conducting thorough research. I will be uploading updates of my project regularly so that I can share this meaningful experience with you. Thank you.

As a project entry to the 2021 National History Day, I produced a documentary film on the role of broadcasting system that impacted the communication that enabled reunions of many dispersed families across South Korea as well as between North and South Korea. Based on the theme of 2021 NHD, “Communication in History: The Key to Understanding,” I found the historical event of the reunions of families who were separated during the Korean War between 1950 to 1953, to be a great example of how the media, broadcasting system in this particular case, facilitated communication between people across the country as well as between two divided countries.

Here’s a short description of my project:

This project will shed light on the perfect storm of the Korean Diaspora and its aftermath, which tremendously shocked the global world. Through the Korean Broadcasting System, the media was able to pervasively connect innumerable reunification among war orphans and parted families who were in a great quandary. Thus, the communication has brought great sanguine amidst bleak times. Resembling modern Social Networking Service, the 1980’s technological platform had entailed the development of humanity and other parallel serendipity around the globe. Registered as World Heritage by UNESCO, the director of this documentary will articulate and extract the communication process that is the key to understanding.

My experience in producing the documentary was absolute one of the best as I was inspired by my great-grandmother. My late great-grandmother used to tell a story about her two lost sons who got separated from her during the evacuation to Seosan in 1950. Unable to reunite with her sons, she reflected the sensitivity and emotional nature of separation of family members among those affected. To express my sorrow and gratitude to my late great-grandmother, my project documents the effectiveness of media communication in reuniting separated families in Korea during the 1980s’, highlighting the critical role of communication in conflict resolution integrated with global peace and humanity. 

My research for the project comprised a variety of primary and secondary data collection methods. For the primary data, I reached out to persons of interest through E-mail and held Zoom meetings. In Particular, I was able to have an interview with Mark Litke, the former ABC foreign correspondent who broadcasted from Seoul in 1983 and Jiyeon Lee, the former MC of the show. I also made telephone calls to the Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) and enquired about their 1983 show: Finding Dispersed Families. Indeed, a significant proportion of information for the research was gathered through the internet. This involved viewing original videotape recordings from the KBS show Finding Dispersed Families as well as photographs of family reunions commissioned and archived by KBS. 

The four-month airing of the show Finding Dispersed Families by KBS had major impacts across the Korean region as well as globally. My historical argument is that a single television program had a widespread and significant positive impact on Korean people’s lives. The program epitomized humanity and hope having succeeded in bringing together family members separated due to conflict that ravaged the Korean peninsula during the 1950’s. The reunion of separated family members was further challenged due to lack of modern telecommunication technologies such as those in existence currently. However, KBS’s use of television broadcast to run the program facilitated the reach of thousands of Koreans leading to their reunion. The story is a testament of the vitality of media communication and the profound nature of family ties. 

The topic of my project highlights how a single television program changed the lives of thousands of individuals affected by the prolonged Korean conflict. The emotional reactions elicited during the reunions and documented in the show highlighted the role of television as a communication tool. Similarly, the impact of KBS’s show was critical in instigating a shift in ideology towards a closer focus on the importance of television programming. The television show served as a communication channel for thousands of Korean people who had not seen their kin for decades. The show illustrated how the power of broadcasting can be harnessed to ensure humanity through programming that is relevant to the needs of the viewers.

Upon the deliberation of the results on the international round the NHD, I will upload my documentary and share my amazing result with you.

The US Commemorates Black History 

Black History Month is a federally accepted month of celebrating the achievements and contributions of the African Americans to the present-day US-History and the larger civilization. This year’s celebrations seek to pay tribute to many African American families that struggled sweat and blood to attain full American citizenship and the general Black experience. However, it happens under difficult circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic and the late 2020 protests against racial injustices witnessed. 

The idea of celebrating Black History was first founded and introduced in 1915 by Carter G. Woodson. Woodson believed in the fact that truth had the power to uphold reason in prevailing over prejudice. The organization to foster this move was founded by Woodson and is currently known as the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASLAH). Being a son to the just freed Virginia slave, he worked hard and managed to join Harvard where he graduated with a doctorate. He was worried about the ignorance of the African American families on the great achievements of those that came before them. Woodson thus started a week of celebrations in 1926, which has been upheld up to date. The month of February was chosen because it encompasses birthdays of Frederick Douglas and Abraham Lincoln.  

The ASLAH website clearly shows that this event has had Black history incorporated into clubs and that teachers have managed to include Black History into the curriculum. The event was commemorated for one week until 1976 when President Gerald R. Ford made a pronouncement that the event is celebrated month-long. Since then, the event has been celebrated over February of course with many other presidential pronouncements by the subsequent presidents. 

References 

Celebrating Black History Month with community changemakers across the US

Trump’s Exclusion from Social Media Presents A Significant Point in American History 

In the most troubling period in American history, Twitters scored a fundamental role in social media when it joined Facebook permanently suspending President Trump’s account. This could feel weird, unusual, and different since there is no historical precedent or media or presidency. Speaking on the GeekWire podcast, Margaret O’Mara, a historian author and University of Washington professor, said that this had not happened before. 

O’Mara said that especially in the modern period, what the president says and does has always been covered since it has always been newsworthy. O’Mara, who specializes in the history of tech and politics said that as the presidency grew into becoming the most important job on the planet, and the US becoming a military and economic superpower, what the president said did matter and had credibility. She added that as much as Trump might be a peculiar president, social media platforms have been given a role they were not well designed for. According to O’Mara, they are now becoming political town squares which they were not designed to be; instead, they are designed to sell ads on the internet. 

She recalled the early optimism for social media as a tool for democracy and bringing togetherness. O’Mara added that these tools had become a space for organizing violent acts and insurrection, creating an alternate reality seen on the event of the past despite them still being used as a unifying force. According to O’Mara, it is a problem with curated news feeds, often perfect for selling ads. She said that it is an amazing business model and still not a better way to get the full spectrum of what is going on globally. 

O’Mara went on to say that American history still offers some hints about what would come next even without direct precedence. She mentioned that the tech sector has grown in an environment of deregulation; however, the history of television and radio in America depicts that there can be a useful role for regulation too. 

Reference 

https://www.geekwire.com/2021/not-happened-tech-historian-trump-social-media-unprecedented-moment-american-history/amp/

It is time that we learn our lesson and end racism.

---

On May 25, 2020, another case of police brutality struck the news headlines around the world. The victim was an unarmed black man named George Floyd, and the entire incident was recorded by bystanders and security cameras. Floyd suffocated to death at the scene of arrest in front of other citizens.

The police were called by a convenience store employee, who believed that Floyd had purchased cigarettes with a counterfeit bill. Upon arriving on the scene, Officer Derek Chauvin arrested Floyd while pinning him to the ground, knee pressing down on Floyd’s neck. In a matter of minutes, Floyd became unconscious and died. According to the New York Times, his last words were, “I can’t breathe.” 

This incident ignited an uproar of anti-racism protests among black communities, and protesters appeared all over the country, carrying placards saying “Black Lives Matter,” a slogan that had been used in many anti-racism activities. The protests began peacefully with protesters of different races gathered together to march and stand in silence. Unfortunately, some local protests have turned into something more violent, as some protestors began to loot and damage many properties from small shops to large department stores.

Such violent, irresponsible, and disrespectful actions have tarnished the true meaning and purpose behind the protests, which were meant to peacefully show the world that what was done to George Floyd and to all other victims of police brutality was wrong. Although peaceful protests were not part of the looting that occurred, many unfortunately associated the Black Lives Movement with the looting and violence that ensued. 

The violent side of the BLM  protests was very similar to what had happened in 1992 in Los Angeles. In 1992, a series of riots and civil disturbances had occurred in Los Angeles County, often referred to as the 1992 Los Angeles Riots. It was initiated when a video footage of Rodney King, an American-African man, being struck with a taser dozens of times, hit with a side-handled baton, and stomped on by white police officers was released. The incident was very similar to what happened to Floyd.

What we can see here is a repetition of history, and it seems as if we haven’t learned from the past–a very recent past. In order to understand the conflict between the races, we need to fully understand the history behind how racism and discrimination affected our society in the past and is affecting it in the present. 

As philosopher George Santayana once said, history repeats itself, and we need to learn from it to avoid making the same mistakes. We have all learned about the history of slavery in school for years. We have been reminded of the wrongfulness of discriminating against people just because their skin color is different. But are we actually learning from history?

We must study and watch the history before our eyes with patience and, when unjust acts take place, we must come together to remind everyone that discrimination and racism of any form cannot be justified.

While we are living in a volatile world, one thing remains consistent: the increasing demand for people’s voices to be heard. Following the Floyd incident, many have spoken out against the officers who have arrested him. The outcry of voices has ultimately led Officer Chauvin to be charged with second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in addition to being dismissed as a police officer. Furthermore, a new legislation that would combat the racial biases present in the current criminal justice system was introduced in the American government. Our battle for justice and fairness may be long and difficult, but so was every other battle for justice the world has seen. It is our duty to stay strong to remain strong and united in our thoughts and actions so as to ensure that everyone’s voice has been heard and that no one lives with the constant fear of being discriminated against

---

References:

Al Jazeera. “Who Was George Floyd, the Man Who Sparked a Movement?” USA News | Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera, 9 June 2020, http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/06/george-floyd-man-sparked-movement-200609175159156.html.

Brown, Rachel. “LA Task Force Seeks to Arrest Looters, Vandals Who Hit Stores during George Floyd Protests.” ABC News, 29 June 2020, abc7.com/los-angeles-protests-lapd-la-safe-task-force-george-floyd/6280666/.

Cain, Josh, et al. “Waves of Protesters, Widespread Looting and Violence Overtake Santa Monica.” Daily News, Daily News, 2 June 2020, http://www.dailynews.com/2020/05/31/santa-monica-moves-up-curfew-to-4-p-m-amid-large-protest-reports-of-looting/.

Hill, Evan, et al. “8 Minutes and 46 Seconds: How George Floyd Was Killed in Police Custody.”
The New York Times, The New York Times, 1 June 2020, http://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/31/
us/george-floyd-investigation.html.

“Los Angeles Riots.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 18 Apr. 2017, http://www.history.com/
topics/1990s/the-los-angeles-riots.

Clairmont, Nicholas. “‘Those Who Do Not Learn History Are Doomed To Repeat It.” Really?” Big Think, Big Think, 24 Apr. 2020, bigthink.com/the-proverbial-skeptic/those-who-do-not-learn-history-doomed-to-repeat-it-really.

Socially distancing South Koreans and moving them into the virtual world.

---

With the emergence of COVID-19 (the coronavirus disease), the world is once again experiencing a new epidemic after the outbreaks of SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) in 2003, Ebola in 2014 to 2015, and MERS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome)  in 2012. In just a decade and a half, we have experienced four major epidemics that have in turn shaped us culturally. 

The current pandemic was in fact quite expected, but we were definitely not prepared for it. As we’ve seen with the previous emergence of infectious diseases, affected nations were able to develop necessary infrastructures, policies, and procedures to prevent and control the infectious diseases only after the pandemics subdued. Bill Gates explained in his TED Talk, “The next outbreak? We’re not ready,” that we were able to avoid a global outbreak of Ebola in 2014 with the help of many health workers. He further elaborated that what humanity has learned from previous outbreaks is that “a large epidemic would require us to have hundreds of thousands of workers.” The effectiveness of the lesson is quite evident in the case of COVID-19.

According to the WHO (World Health Organization), the coronavirus is a pneumonia of unknown cause, originating from Wuhan, China. It was first reported to the WHO Country Office in China on December 31, 2019, and since then, the WHO has declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on Jan. 30, 2020.

The impact of COVID-19 is not only limited to the mortality of the world’s population –over 103 million confirmed cases and over 2.24 million deaths globally, according to the Worldometer Coronavirus Update –but also to the way the world is communicating. South Korea provides a good example of how the virtual world is advancing into people’s lives.

From the beginning of the outbreak, the South Korean government has taken an aggressive approach to tackle the epidemic. People who have or may have contracted the coronavirus were vigorously tracked down for detailed epidemiology, while all details of the epidemic have been shared via emergency notifications on mobiles in real-time. In addition, in 2020, the South Korean government had also delayed the beginning of the new academic year, which is in March, by a month in order to prevent the further spread of the coronavirus among students and their families. 

In response to the closing down of schools, most international schools have continued to carry out their curriculum via virtual learning, as the online system had been used increasingly over the past few years even before the pandemic. However, most public  Korean schools were not equipped with appropriate online systems, not to mention how the majority of the students were not accustomed to checking and submitting assignments or communicating with teachers and friends online. The Korean Ministry of Education, therefore, had no choice but to postpone the beginning of the school year in order to make necessary changes and train teachers on how to effectively utilize online tools to teach their students.

While the schools seem unprepared for the transition into the virtual world, major institutions and companies of various sizes have ordered their employees to work from home to prevent the possible spread of the virus at the workplace.

Evidently, the emergence of the breakout is shaping our world today. Students are learning from home, teachers are providing their lessons from their home, and workers are working from home. Governments around the world are also tackling international matters from their home countries, too. In the era of virus, as the ABC News presented, even summits have been going virtual. On March 26, 2020, Korean President, Moon Jae-In, participated in the meeting for the Group of 20 nations (G20), which took place online for the first time for about 90 minutes in place of an in-person meeting that usually lasts two days. 

Locally, government officials have been working in shifts in order to effectively keep their social distance, some even working from home. Furthermore, the South Korean government has had several rounds of Emergency Relief Grants that all Korean citizens were able to receive and are still offering financial aid to those in dire situations, such as the unemployed or business owners affected by government restrictions. Currently, it seems like the whole world is paused, with governments urging their people to refrain from participating in activities that involve more than a handful number of people. In South Korea, the governments have placed strict measures, not allowing more than 5 people to gather socially and ordering restaurants and cafes to only allow take-out after 9PM. Online entertainment platforms, especially Netflix, have gathered immense popularity in Korea during the pandemic, and more people are becoming active on social media to share their stories and stay connected with others. While the streets in Seoul are turning quiet, the people are becoming ever so active in the virtual world.

---

References:

“Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) – Events as They Happen.” World Health Organization, World Health Organization, http://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/events-as-they-happen.

Gates, Bill. “The next outbreak? We’re not ready.” TED. Mar. 2015. Lecture.

“Schools in S. Korea Postpone New Semester by Two More Weeks.” KBS World, 17 Mar. 2020, http://world.kbs.co.kr/service/news_view.htm?lang=e&Seq_Code=152087.

The contentious history of U.S. presidential pardons 

According to the New York Times, President Trump is considering to pardon his personal attorney, Rudolph Giuliani, and one of his sons as well as his son-in-law before leaving office in January 2021.  

The pardon, exercised by the president dates back to the office itself. However, there’s been controversy over how the chief executive should exercise it since the practice was founded. There have been many cases where controversial figures have been pardoned.  

However, there’s still one pardon that has never been exercised: the self-pardon. Can this change? 

Alexander Hamilton, in a 1787 Constitutional Convention, proposed that the president be given the privilege to pardon criminals. Most attendants agreed with him and the proposal was passed. Since then, the president can: 

• Issue a pardon that can eliminate the crime entirely. 
• Issue a pardon that can shorten or wipe out a criminal sentence. 
• Issue a pardon that can release someone from a legal obligation. 
• Finally, he can issue a respite. 

Some of the contentious pardons include: 

• In 1795 the then president, George Washington pardoned two criminals who had organized the 1794 Whiskey Rebellion. 
• In 1800, another pardon to rebels was exercised, this time by President Thomas Jefferson. He pardoned all convicts that were sentenced for defaming the government. In fact, others such as James Monroe and James Madison did pardon pirates and other offenders. 
• Other pardons have not been successful. In 1833, President Andrew Jackson pardoned George Wilson, who was found guilty of stealing U.S. mail. George refused the pardon and was executed by hanging. 
• In 1862, President Abraham Lincoln pardoned 265 convicted Dakota men. Driven by hunger and other violations, their rebellion led to the death of more than 600 white settlers. 

And Trump is no exception, as of December 2020, he has gone on to pardon some figures which have led  people to term the exercise as controversial.  

Source: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/2020/12/controversial-history-presidential-pardons-from-watergate-to-whiskey-rebellion/ 

Black Heroes Throughout US Military History 

Here are some of the Black heroes who fought in wars that defined America as we know it.  

American Revolution 

Thousands of Black Americans fought in the American Revolution war. But unlike the White soldiers, they were not just fighting for independence or for the British to stay. Rather they were fighting to end slavery which was allowed in the colony. Historians estimate that between 5,000 and 8,000 Black soldiers fought on the Patriot side while 20,000 served the Crown. 

Civil War 

 As America’s Civil War raged, with the enslavement of millions of people hanging in the balance, African Americans didn’t just sit on the sidelines. Whether enslaved, escaped, or born free, many sought to get involved in the war. 

Most were involved in bloody battles, attending to the wounded soldiers, political maneuvering, espionage, and teaching other soldiers how to read. Others fought courageously to end enslavement in America. 

World War I 

Most veterans of World War I found it difficult to shed off memories and Horace Pippin is no exception. To tame them, he decided to sketch them inside a series of composition books. He draws using a pencil and crayons. While the grammar is makeshift, the book provides a first-hand account of the harrowing war.  

World War II 

As the first Black aviators to serve in the U.S. Army Air Corps, the Tuskegee Airmen broke through a massive segregation barrier in the American military. Their success in fighting the German Army in the skies over Europe demystified the notion that African Americans didn’t have the capabilities to take part in combat operations. 

Source: https://www.history.com/news/black-heroes-us-military-history 

The Meaning Behind Juneteenth Celebration in the US

Juneteenth, the annual holiday recognizing the end of slavery, has so far gained visibility during the protests of police violence and the Black Lives Matter movement. As the nation challenges racial injustice issues, the annual Juneteenth commemoration of the end of slavery added more significance.

This year’s celebration comes at a time of civil unrest started by the high-profile deaths of George Floyd and other African Americans at the police’s hands. This would lead to increased tensions and increased visibility of the holiday.

To understand Juneteenth, it is the combination of the words June and 19th, a holiday meant to commemorate the end of slavery in the United States. Its date is tied to a speech talking to the formerly enslaved black people of Texas that the Civil War was over and that they were then free. The speech was given by a Union general in Galveston, Texas in 1865. In his “General Order No. 3,” Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger declared that, with Texas being under Union Control, all slaves are free in the state, owing to the Emancipation Proclamation issued by President Abraham Lincoln more than two years later.

However, the order did not end slavery overnight in Texas, similar to how Lincoln’s earlier proclamation had not stopped its practice in other Confederate states. However, the formerly enslaved people of Texas, especially in the area around Galveston, started to celebrate Juneteenth as the day of slavery’s halt a few years later.

Also known as Freedom Day, Cel-Liberation Day, and Jubliee Day, parades are often celebrated in public ceremonies though the celebrations differ from place to place. However, according to Minkah Malakani, an assistant professor of African and African diaspora studies at the University of Texas at Austin, Juneteenth does not only celebrate one day in history. Malakani said that it has always meant more than celebrating ‘We are free and equal to you’; it is having always been combined with “We are free and now we want freedom to mean something beyond what you think it means.”

Reference

https://www.usnews.com/news/national-news/articles/2020-06-17/juneteenth-what-you-need-to-know