( MENAFN - GlobeNewsWire - Nasdaq) Ford Philanthropy to sponsor free admission on the federal holiday Wednesday, June 19 Memphis, TN, June 05, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The National Civil Rights Museum is celebrating the Juneteenth holiday on June 19 as a Community Day with free museum admission and a focus on health equity. This is the third year Juneteenth is observed as a federal holiday, and the museum welcomes all visitors to learn more about the origins and importance of the holiday and the stories of hard-fought freedom for all. Juneteenth dates back to June 19, 1865, when Union soldier, Major General Gordon Granger, arrived in Galveston, Texas with 6,000 Black American troops to inform enslaved Texans the Civil War had ended, they were then free, and to enforce the law passed more than two and half years prior.
This population of Black Texans were denied their freedom since January 1, 1863, when President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation. The museum's Juneteenth Community Day will allow everyone free admission to explore this American history that illustrates the resilience and contributions of Black Americans. This year, the Museum will provide resources through community partners to provide immunization shots, health screenings, and awareness around sickle cell anemia, a disease to which Black Americans are more prone.
“In today's terms, we see freedom is tied directly to economic empowerment, and as individuals, our health is our wealth,” said museum.
