Welcome back to the Don Lemon Show, everyone.

And of course, I am Don Lemon.

I thank you so much for joining us today.

Today I am joined by author, activist, and mother of five.

Jody Patterson, there you see her on your screen.

Jody, thank you so much for joining us on this Juneteenth holiday.

We are marking the celebration, if you want to say that,

the celebration of this holiday. So let's jump right into it and talk about this very special day.

Today, 150 years ago, Black Americans began celebrating Juneteenth. The holiday commemorates it

when slaves and one of the last remaining Confederate strongholds were set free.

Today marks the most significant steps in establishing true freedom for all in America.

Jody, what does this day mean to you?

How are you?

I'm doing well.

Good to see you.

It's a real pleasure to be on your show.

You know, I have such mixed emotions about this. I have dual emotions. And I think

for many black Americans, this is about celebrate. It's a celebratory moment. We will always find a

reason to gather and to listen and to learn and to laugh and to love. And so I just spent

a day with one of my older aunts listening to her stories and gathering

with the family and talking about our history as a culture and as a people and as the

Patterson's.

...