New York

The southern colonists were a mixture as well, including Baptists and Anglicans. In the Carolinas, Virginia, and Maryland (which was originally founded as a haven for Catholics), the Church of England was recognized by law as the state church, and a portion of tax revenues went to support the parish and its priest.

The South relied on slavery heavily for economic prosperity and used wealth as a way to justify enslavement practices.

Directly or indirectly, the economies of all 13 British colonies in North America depended on slavery. By the 1620s, the labor-intensive cultivation of tobacco for European markets was established in Virginia, with white indentured servants performing most of the heavy labor.

Christopher Columbus

Soon slavery spread to all of the 13 British colonies in America. Virginia was the first colony to legally establish slavery in 1661. This was followed by Maryland and the Carolinas. The only colony to resist legalization of slavery was Georgia in the south.

In 1780, Pennsylvania became the first state to abolish slavery when it adopted a statute that provided for the freedom of every slave born after its enactment (once that individual reached the age of majority). Massachusetts was the first to abolish slavery outright, doing so by judicial decree in 1783.

Vermont

West Virginia

Activists are campaigning for the United States Congress to recognize Juneteenth as a national holiday. Hawaii, North Dakota and South Dakota are the only states that do not recognize Juneteenth, according to the Congressional Research Service.

Juneteenth, an annual holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States, has been celebrated by African-Americans since the late 1800s.

Red, white and blue are on the Juneteenth flag. The color red symbolizes that “from the middle passage to George Floyd, our blood has been spilled across America,” Williams said.

How Can We Celebrate Juneteenth?

1. Make Juneteenth A Company-Wide Effort. In light of D&I efforts such as the Black Lives Matter movement (BLM) across the nation, everyone in your business should be encouraged to participate in Juneteenth activities.
2. Volunteer At Local Juneteenth Events.
3. Invite A Guest Speaker.

This year, large companies and small businesses alike are now choosing to recognize Juneteenth as a paid day off, with Nike, Twitter, Square, Lyft, Mastercard, and the NFL among prominent organizations leading the way.

Hawaii, North Dakota and South Dakota are the only states that do not recognize Juneteenth, celebrated on June 19, according to the Congressional Research Service.

Juneteenth is a 155-year-old holiday celebrating the emancipation of African-Americans from slavery in the U.S. It is celebrated on June 19 (the name is a combination of the words “June” and “nineteenth”) because on that date in 1865, Major General Gordon Granger of the Union Army landed in Galveston, Texas and …

The flag is the brainchild of activist Ben Haith, founder of the National Juneteenth Celebration Foundation (NJCF). Haith created the flag in 1997 with the help of collaborators, and Boston-based illustrator Lisa Jeanne Graf brought their vision to life.

Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. On June 19, 1865, a Union General rode into Galveston, Texas to announce that the Civil War had ended, and slaves had been freed.

Red velvet cake, watermelon, Texas Pete hot sauce, strawberry pie and hot links are several red foods commonly served at Juneteenth celebrations, according to the New York Times article “Hot Links and Red Drinks: The Rich Food Tradition of Juneteenth.”

Juneteenth, also called Emancipation Day, or Juneteenth Independence Day, holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States, observed annually on June 19.

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