JuneTeenth

Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, the day Union Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger (pictured here) informed slaves of their emancipation from slavery. In what town did this event take place?

• Lafaette, Louisiana

• Montgomery, Alabama

• Brunswick, Georgia

• Galveston, Texas

Answer explanation

Granger delivered the news, known as General Orders, No. 3, in Galveston, Texas.

Granger’s announcement actually came almost three years after the famous executive order abolishing slavery, issued by then-President Abraham Lincoln.

• the Freedom Order

• the Abolition

• the Emancipation Proclamation

• the Edict of Liberation

Answer explanation

Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation outlawed slavery in Texas and other states that had rebelled against the Union. However, southern states were enraged by the edict, and news of it was slow to travel and often reluctantly spread. Additionally, Texas was seldom visited by Union troops, who were the main enforcers of the news.

Lincoln’s executive order outlawed slavery in rebel states, but not Union states. What two Union border states continued to practice slavery up until the constitutional abolition of slavery in 1865?

• Delaware and Maryland

• Delaware and Kentucky

• Kentucky and Missouri

• Maryland and Missouri

Answer explanation

Slavery remained technically legal among union states until 1865, and some areas of Delaware and Kentucky continued the practice until that time.

Which Constitutional Amendment officially abolished slavery across the United States?

• the 4th Amendment

• the 9th Amendment

• the 13th Amendment

• the 16th Amendment

Answer explanation

The 13th Amendment, ratified on December 6, 1865, officially abolished chattel slavery in the United States.

Approximately how many slaves were estimated to be in the United States in the early 1860s before slavery was outlawed?

• 1.2 Million

• 3.5 Million

• 2.4 Million

• 3.9 Million

Answer explanation

It’s estimated that more than 3.9 million slaves were in the United States as of 1860 – the most precise estimate showing 3,953,760 people enslaved. It’s estimated that only 500,000 Black individuals lived as free persons during that time.

Which state was the first to recognize Juneteenth as a state holiday?

• New York

• Connecticut

• Georgia

• Texas

Is Juneteenth a federal holiday?

• Yes

• No

Answer explanation

Juneteenth is now a federal holiday. On June 17, 2021, President Joe Biden signed a bill in observance of Juneteenth National Independence Day.

What’s another name often used to commemorate Juneteenth?

• Peace Day

• Freedom Day

• Power Day

• Equality Day

Answer explanation

Juneteenth is often referred to as Freedom Day, along with Emancipation Day and Jubilee Day.

Who said this iconic quote? “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”

• Malcom X

• Martin Luther King Jr.

• Frederick Douglass

• Harriet Tubman

Which U.S. President signed a bill making Juneteenth a federal holiday?

• Joe Biden

• Donald Trump

• Obama