On June 19, 1865, Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, TX, and they announced that the Civil War had ended and that all slaves were now free.
The Emancipation Proclamation had been signed two and half years earlier, on January 1, 1863. But many states, including Texas, did little to acknowledge President Lincoln's Proclamation until the war ended.
Since 1865, Juneteenth has been celebrated annually on June 19. It is the African American Independence Day.
African Americans around the United States celebrate Juneteenth with food, education, music, prayer and remembrances. During some regional celebrations, the Emancipation Proclamation is read.
In 1980, Juneteenth became an offical state holiday in Texas.
Click here to learn more about Juneteenth's history. An essay by historican Henry Louis Gates, Jr. about the holiday is available here.
Classical IPR will celebrate Juneteenth this year by featuring music of African American composers all day during our locally hosted programming. (The only exception will be Aaron Copland's "Lincoln Portrait.")
See the entire day's playlist below. All airtimes are approximate and subject to change.
7 a.m. hour
Margaret Bonds, Dream Variation
Duke Ellington, Mainly Black
Traditional (arr. Jester Hairston), In Dat Great Gettin' Up Mornin'
R. Nathaniel Dett, In the Bottoms
Leslie Adams, Has He Come?
Charlie Smalls, selections from The Wiz
Eubie Blake, The Chevy Chase
8 a.m. hour
Quincy Jones, main title from The Color Purple
Scott Joplin, Bethena
Terence Blanchard, Dance for a New Day
Margaret Bonds, Three Dream Portraits
William Grant Still, Symphony No. 1 "Afro-American"
9 a.m. hour
Aaron Copland, Lincoln Portrait
Valerie Coleman, Portraits of Josephine
Florence Price, Violin Concerto no. 2
10.m. and 11 a.m. hours: Performance Today
12 p.m. hour
Julia Perry, Prelude for Piano
Traditional (arr. Peter Madlem), Four Spirituals
Valerie Coleman, Portraits of Langston
Scott Joplin, Solace
George Walker, A Red, Red Rose
1 p.m. hour
Duke Ellington, Black, Brown and Beige Suite
William C. Banfield, Symphony No. 6
R. Nathaniel Dett, Cinnamon Grove
Billy Strayhorn, Take the "A" Train
2 p.m. hour
Moses Hogan, Four Spirituals
Florence Price, Symphony in E minor
3 p.m. hour
David Baker, Sonata for Clarinet and Piano
Wynton Marsalis, Violin Concerto
4 p.m. hour
W. C. Handy, St. Louis Blues
William Grant Still, Seven Traceries
Bernice Johnson Reagon, Anybody Here?
Undine Smith Moore, Introduction and Allegro
Trevor Weston, O Daedalus, Fly Away Home
Devonte Hynes, For All its Fury
5 p.m.
Will Marion Cook, Overture to In Dahomey
George Walker, Lyric for Strings
Joseph Jennings, Be Still and Know That I am God
Francis Johnson, The American Boy / The Grave of a Slave
Harry T. Burleigh, Plantation Melodies, Old and New
Duke Ellington, Medley
