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The date June 19, 1865, has been celebrated by Black Texans since Reconstruction. Known today as “Juneteenth,” the holiday commemorates the arrival of Union soldiers to Galveston, Texas, and the liberation of the enslaved population. Professor Tyina Steptoe will discuss the history of Juneteenth celebrations – including the recent adoption of June 19 as a federal holiday – and common misconceptions regarding the Civil War and Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation.
Tyina (pronounced Ta-wa-na) Steptoe hails from Houston, Texas. She holds a Ph.D. in History and an M.A. in Afro-American Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She also earned a B.S. in Radio-Television-Film and a B.A. in History from the University of Texas at Austin. Currently, she is an associate professor of history at the University of Arizona in Tucson.

Her work focuses on race, gender, and culture in the United States. Her award-winning book, Houston Bound: Culture and Color in a Jim Crow City (University of California Press, 2016), examines how the migration of Creoles of color, ethnic Mexicans, and black East Texans complicated notions of race in Houston between the 1920s and 1960s. Her latest book is Jim Crow: Voices from a Century of Struggle. Dr. Steptoe also hosts a weekly radio program called “Soul Stories” on 91.3 KXCI Tucson. The show explores the roots and branches of rhythm and blues music.

This program begins at 1:00 PM, The speaker will present via Zoom, and we will gather in person at Pinnacle Living, 45 Forts Ferry Road, Latham, NY. It is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be available starting at 12:30 PM. Please bring your own beverage.

If you wish to attend via Zoom and are not a current paid member of CDHS, email your request to [CDHS.Albany@gmail.com](mailto:CDHS.Albany@gmail.com) by Friday, June 12th, to receive the link.
The Capital District Humanist Society provides a supportive community for exchanging ideas, heightening our knowledge of the world and ourselves, fostering moral and ethical growth, and promoting the principles of non-theistic humanism. CDHS is a member organization for people with humanist values. Our values include commitment to free inquiry, rational thought, life-long education, democracy, social concern, and fellowship.
To learn more about us, please go to www.humanistsociety.net

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