It’s June 19th. Juneteenth. On this day in 1865, slaves in Galveston, Texas became the last to learn of the Emancipation Proclamation.

I do not remember ever studying the origins of this day in high school.

It took two years after Lincoln declared slavery in 1863 abolished for people in Texas to find out.

Today should not be a day to name a new president of the UNC system. Today should not be about passing bills in the NCGA without debate or chance for amendments. Today should not be about rallies in Tulsa.

Today should be about making sure that what really happened in history is taught. Today should be about being more willing to have uncomfortable conversations.

Today should be about learning about what many textbooks deliberately leave out of their pages.