#46: Annette Gordon-Reed - "On Juneteenth"

For this week's episode, we are delighted to welcome one of America's most important scholars, Annette Gordon-Reed. Her Pulitzer Prize-winning book, "The Hemingses of Monticello," explores the lives of Sally Hemings, Thomas Jefferson, and how their secret union defines America.

We spoke with the professor about her new book, "On Juneteenth," which is a reflection on her upbringing in Texas and how the sacred holiday was first celebrated in Galveston. From the moment on June 19th, 1865, when slavery was announced as extinct - to both cheers and disgust - Professor Gordon-Reed takes us on a journey through the holiday's evolution and how it guided her inspiration to become a historian. She also explains how recognizing the day as a Federal holiday would reshape  the conversation around race. Juneteenth was - and is - an emotional day, one that calls for reflection and celebration. Who better to have that conversation with than Annette Gordon-Reed?

Professor Gordon-Reed can be found on social media at twitter.com/agordonreed

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