Quick-- what day did slavery end in the United States?
If you don't know, you aren't alone. Neither did four Ball State sociology professors called by the DAILY NEWS. And we aren't innocent either-- only two of our staffers had heard of Juneteenth.
Although Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on Jan. 1, 1863, the last American slaves weren't freed until more than two years later, on June 19, 1865, in Galvaston, Texas.
That day, now known as Juneteenth, is a recognized holiday in 12 states.
So why is it that otherwise well-educated Hoosiers are ignorant of its significance?
Part of the blame clearly rests with history books, where it sounds as though all slaves were magically and instantly freed when Lincoln made his famous speech. Those books form the foundation of students' historical knowledge.
Part of the blame lies with educators who oversimplify complicated issues, or who fear straying from standard curricula. Those teachers have a responsibility to fill in the gaps in our knowledge.
Part of the blame belongs to our leaders. President Bush, himself a Texan, celebrates Cinco de Mayo, but there weren't any White House events to mark Juneteenth. Our leaders should provide an example for us to follow.
And, of course, part of the blame is our own-- we haven't taken the initiative to learn our own history. We are responsible for our own ignorance.
But whoever is to blame, the solution is clear: American history should be taught in American schools, and American history is more than dates and the names of dead white men. We want to know the whole story, even if it makes history books a bit longer.
Until then, we'll have to teach ourselves.
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