Who is Juneteenth really for? A hidden story beyond the U.S.

[00:00:00]There's no question that Juneteenth is one of the blackest days [music] in America. But in Mexico, there's a whole tradition connected to the freedom of people who were enslaved here. It's called Dia de los Negros. It originated in a town called Nacimiento de los Negros, which translates [music] to birth of the blacks. It was founded by the Negros Mascogos or black Seminoles in 1852. [music] The Mascogos migrated here after fleeing the US to escape slavery. They had already freed themselves once in the 1600s when they escaped British-controlled plantations in Georgia and the Carolinas and went to then Spanish Florida. There, they banded with the Seminole Nation to defend the territory [music] during the Seminole Wars. But by the mid-19th century, they faced threats of re-enslavement [music] and decided to move further south to Mexico. Over the next few centuries, they would establish a culture that was a blend of African, indigenous, and Southern American culture such as Negro spirituals, horsemanship, and foods like the sweet potato bread tetapoon and the corn-based porridge [music] soske. The Mascogos also made a deal with the Mexican government to guard settlers against raids [music] from other indigenous tribes. In exchange, they received a plot of land that would become Nacimiento. Fast forward to June 19th, 1865, the day people enslaved in Texas learned of their freedom in Galveston, birthing [music] Juneteenth. As the news spread across the border, people in Nacimiento celebrated in solidarity because many of them still had family in the US. [music] These days, there's plenty of discourse about who Juneteenth should really be for.

[00:01:40]>> [music] >> Some say it's a holiday for everyone, while others argue it should only be for black [music] Americans. But when we look at the diaspora as a whole, we see that many of our stories intersect and we're reminded that freedom and our struggle for it is [music] something we all share. So, who do you think should celebrate Juneteenth? Drop your thoughts in the comments.