This is a little Schoolhouse Rock parody song from the musical episode of Black-ish celebrating Juneteenth. The holiday is also called Emancipation Day and Freedom Day, and marks the abolition of slavery in America in 1865. The holiday was first recognized in Texas, where Union Army General Gordon Granger read a proclamation aloud:
“The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired labor. The freedmen are advised to remain quietly at their present homes and work for wages. They are informed that they will not be allowed to collect at military posts and that they will not be supported in idleness either there or elsewhere.”
I’m sure there are plenty of songs that are appropriate for the holiday, but the season four premier of the ABC sitcom starring Anthony Anderson and Tracee Ellis-Ross was the first time I’d ever heard of it. The entire episode is very educational on the subject.
Header image courtesy of hotnewhiphop.com.