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Juneteenth is a national holiday celebrating the freedom of African Americans from slavery in the U.S. Its name comes from the words “June” and “nineteenth.”

On June 19, 1865, U.S. Army Major General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas with news that the Civil War had ended and slavery was abolished, two years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation.

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“The Emancipation Proclamation had little impact on the Texans due to the minimal number of Union troops to enforce the new Executive Order. However, with the surrender of General Lee in April of 1865, and the arrival of General Granger’s regiment, the forces were finally strong enough to influence and overcome the resistance,” according to Juneteenth.com.

It’s the oldest nationally celebrated holiday recognizing the end of slavery in the U.S. — our real Independence Day.

As we look to celebrate this date this year, following a slew of unjust murders and social unrest, here’s a playlist celebrating all of our melanin magic, because brown skin is not a crime and in the words of brother Kendrick Lamar, “We gon’ be alright!”

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