Celebrating The 155th Anniversary Of Juneteenth

Today is the 155th anniversary of Juneteenth.

Cliff Robinson, the founder of Juneteenth.com, spoke with the Daily Caller’s Samantha Renck about the significance of this day, calls to make it a national holiday and more.

“General Gordon Granger rode into Galveston, Texas, and delivered the Emancipation Proclamation,” Robinson described, which “basically communicated to those that were enslaved that their freedom was now in place.”

Robinson talked about the emotional response that many slaves must have felt as well as fear.

“Now all of a sudden, you’ve been freed, you have nothing, you have nowhere to go,” Robinson explained. “In fact, that general order encouraged the enslaved to stay and work for their masters for a wage.”

Robinson added that he was never taught about Juneteenth in school.

“For years and years and years it was never in textbooks,” Robinson said, and “probably in the last 15-20 years” has the day sometimes appeared in school books.

In recent years and in light of George Floyd’s death on May 25, there have been calls to make Juneteenth an official U.S. holiday.

“It’s now the time to step up and say, ‘OK, we acknowledge our wrongs, and here’s just one small thing we can do to start bringing folks together.'”

Robinson also talked about how he is celebrating Juneteenth, where people can learn more about the day and more. (RELATED: ‘It Is A Day To Reflect On Our Past’: Roger Goodell Announces NFL Will Recognize Juneteenth As Holiday Following Floyd’s Death)

WATCH: