Talking Black: A conversation with Ms. Opal Lee on Juneteenth

Host Michele Simpson brings us a conversation with Ms. Opal Lee, who worked tirelessly to create Juneteenth as a national holiday, as well as with eight others regarding their Juneteenth experiences, on Talking Black.

Juneteenth commemorates June 19th, 1865, when Union General Gordon Granger and his troops landed in Galveston, Texas, more than two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation was supposed to be the law of the land.

The soldiers who arrived with General Gordon Granger were members of the US Colored Troops. They fought during the Civil War and helped to save the Union and the country. The US Colored Troops came to Galveston with General Granger, and their contributions and presence are often left out of the story.

Talking Black airs the second Thursday of each month on A Public Affair, KGNU’s weekday morning show featuring in-depth discussions on local news issues. Talking Black centers Black voices, thought, and vision. Click here to listen to other episodes of Talking Black.