CE1 International Section students have been learning about “Juneteenth”. Juneteenth was originally celebrated in Texas, on June 19, 1865. It marked the day that African Americans there first learned of the Emancipation Proclamation, more than two years after it was initially issued. The Emancipation Proclamation was an order issued from Abraham Lincoln making slavery illegal. The holiday was originally celebrated with prayer meetings and by singing spirituals and wearing new clothes to represent newfound freedom. Within a few years, African Americans were celebrating Juneteenth in other states, making it an annual tradition. CE1 students designed their own Juneteenth t-shirt and wrote their opinion on the importance of this holiday as well as coloring the Juneteenth flag. Many students designed their Juneteenth t-shirt with the flag motive in mind. Here is a picture of the Juneteenth flag.