Welcome to Bedtime History. Hello, this is Breck.

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Imagine standing in a small town in Texas on a hot summer day.

It's June 19, 1865.

A group of people gathers outside to listen to a Union General who has just arrived.

The crowd is quiet.

Then they hear the words they have waited so long to hear.

All slaves are free.

At first there is silence.

People look at each other, not sure if it's real.

Then joy spreads.

Some cry, some shout, some pray.

For the first time in their lives, they are free.

That day was June 19th, and it became known as Juneteenth. It is one of the most important days in American history.

It marks the moment when the last enslaved people in the United States learned they were free.

This month, people across the country will celebrate Juneteenth with

music, parades, food, dancing, and reflection. But to understand why Juneteenth matters, we

have to go back in time. In the 1800s, the United States was divided between the North and

the South. In the north, many people worked

...