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Juneteenth

6/19/202615 min

June 19, 1865. Over two years after the Emancipation Proclamation, enslaved people in Texas are officially informed of their freedom. This episode originally aired in 2025.

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First 90 seconds
  1. Lindsay Graham· Host0:00

    History Daily is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. Do you ever think about switching insurance companies to see if you could save some cash? Progressive makes it easy. Just drop in some details about yourself and see if you're eligible to save money when you bundle your home and auto policies. The process only takes minutes, and it could mean hundreds more in your pocket. So visit progressive.com after this episode to see if you could save. Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and Affiliates. Potential savings will vary. Not available in all states. [instrumental music plays] It's a warm fall day in 1864 on a sheep farm in Mexia, Texas. Nine-year-old enslaved shepherd William Moore taps a wooden stick on a fence as he steers a dozen sheep into a pen. After securing the gate, William slowly heads back toward the farmhouse, swishing the stick as though it's an imaginary sword. But his playful mood is broken by an agonizing scream from the far side of the building. William knows the voice instantly. It's his mother. William sprints around the house to find his mother bound to a tree, a bloody stripe across her bare back. Standing over her is the farmer, Tom Waller, whip in hand. He raises the whip high into the air, ready to strike again. But without thinking of the consequences, William picks up a rock and flings it at him. Waller crumples to the ground, bleeding from where

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