GALVESTON, Texas — June 19, 1865.
A date that now rings loud across our nation, but specifically in Galveston, Texas.
On that day, soldiers made their way to the small island and went to several locations to tell enslaved people they were free. This came two years after then-President Abraham Lincoln announced slavery had ended in the U.S.
On Thursday, KHOU 11 aired its second Juneteenth documentary, titled "Juneteenth: The Pursuit of Economic Equality," which highlights the lasting financial impact of Juneteenth on Black Americans.
The documentary includes stories from several people, including:
- Sam Collins - Galveston historian
- Dr. Marco Robinson - Prairie View A&M professor
- Kirsten Mullen and William Darity Jr. - authors of From Here to Equality: Reparations for Black Americans in the Twenty-First Century
- Jacqueline Bostic - a descendant of Reverend John Henry “Jack” Yates, who founded Houston's historic Emancipation Park.
- Houston-area homeowners who were discriminated against while trying to sell their home
"Last year, we explained the beginning of Juneteenth and what happened after that and the journey for so many freed slaves, but this year we go a step further because we talk about the pursuit of economic equality. What does that mean? We look at what was happening with the freed slaves right after 1865. What were their options? What were their possibilities?" said KHOU 11 anchor Len Cannon.
Watch the full special or watch in the YouTube player below.
Following the premiere of the documentary, Mia Gradney hosted a panel discussion about the program.
Juneteenth resources:
- Sugar Land Heritage Foundation: Historic Walking Tours
- Project Row Houses: Enriching Communities Through Collective Creativity
- Galveston's Juneteenth website
- Emancipation Park Conservancy
- Disparities in Wealth by Race and Ethnicity in the 2019 Survey of Consumer Finances
- Nia Cultural Center
- Earn Your Leisure
- ChrisSenegal.com
- BankRate.com/Calculators
- AnnualCreditReport.com
- Slave Voyages
- Middle Passage Galveston, Texas
- From Here To Equality: Reparations for Black Americans in the Twenty-First Century. Written by William A. Darity Jr., A. Kirsten Mullen
- Debt Free or Die Trying By Marcus Garrett
- G-Unity Business Lab HISD
'Juneteenth: 1865-2021'
Last year, KHOU 11 aired its first Juneteenth documentary titled "Juneteenth: 1865-2021." The documentary detailed the historical legacy of Juneteenth from the birthplace of the nation’s newly-adopted holiday.
The documentary also captured the spirit of the holiday and the people who celebrate it, taking the viewer on an educational, yet emotional and celebratory journey into an important part of our nation's history.
Click here to watch last year's full documentary or watch below:
Awards and acknowledgments
The "Juneteenth: 1865-2021" documentary has already won several awards including:
- Gracie Awards from the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation
- Two Regional Murrow Awards for News Documentary and Excellence in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
The success of the documentary has also garnered attention from businesses all across the nation, including Chevron and Los Angeles Public Library, which requested to air the documentary during its Juneteenth celebrations.
Several Houston-area schools have also requested to air the documentary to its students and staff as an educational resource.