Juneteenth Isn't Just Freedom Day. It's Education Day, Too.

Frederick Douglass, the legendary abolitionist and writer, was born enslaved in 1818. He knew, deep in his bones, that true freedom wasn't just about breaking chains; it was about opening books.

He recalled in his 1845 autobiography how his enslaver's wife started teaching him to read, only for her husband to swiftly shut it down. His reasoning? Teaching a slave to read was "unlawful, as well as unsafe." Give them an inch, he figured, and they'd take an "ell" — a particularly archaic unit of measurement, but the point was clear: they'd want more freedom. And he was absolutely right.

Fast forward to January 31, 1865, when the 13th Amendment officially abolished slavery. But for the enslaved people of Galveston, Texas, that news wouldn't arrive until June 19, 1865. That day, now celebrated as Juneteenth, marked the actual end of slavery for the last remaining enslaved people in the U.S. In 2021, it became a federal holiday, because apparently that's where we are now.

But Juneteenth isn't just about physical emancipation. It's a stark reminder that freedom was, and still is, inextricably linked to the freedom of the mind. Especially after centuries of making learning illegal.

Making Learning Illegal, Because Knowledge Is Power

After the Stono slave rebellion in South Carolina in 1739, the state quickly passed an anti-literacy law in 1740. The logic was chillingly simple: educated slaves might plot more uprisings. So, they banned teaching enslaved people to read. Most Southern states followed suit between 1740 and 1834, extending these laws to both enslaved and free Black people.

Despite these iron-fisted restrictions, thousands of enslaved people in the antebellum South defied the odds and learned to read and write. Literacy wasn't just a skill; it was a clandestine path to liberation.

Meanwhile, in a different corner of the country, the first African Free School for Black children opened in New York City in 1787. It started with 40 students, many of whom had parents who had been enslaved. By 1824, public funding had helped establish six more such schools. A quiet revolution in education was already underway.

The Promise of Juneteenth: Education as Emancipation

Juneteenth encapsulates a complex narrative of incredible resilience in the face of hatred and resistance from white supremacists. It also underscores a fundamental truth: true freedom demands the right to an education.

When freedom finally arrived in 1865, the reactions were as varied as the people themselves—from pure joy to profound despair. Many left plantations, scattering across the country to find family members and rebuild communities shattered by slavery. Others stayed put, seeking to define freedom on familiar ground. Most freed people, in fact, remained in the South.

Roughly 4 million formerly enslaved people set out to challenge a nation to recognize their humanity and their freedom. And one of their highest priorities? Education.

They gathered in every conceivable space: churches, homes, cellars, sheds, meetinghouses, and even under trees. They learned to read, write, and acquire practical job skills, like understanding the labyrinthine details of labor contracts.

Many of their teachers were self-taught local Black people. Others were white teachers from both North and South, dispatched by churches and aid societies. While some white aid societies provided funding, a significant portion of the money to keep these schools running came directly from the pockets of the newly freed Americans themselves. Because if you want something done, sometimes you just have to pay for it yourself.

In 1865, a staggering 90% of the Black population in Southern states couldn't read or write. By 1880, that number had dropped to 70%. Let that satisfying number sink in.

The Journey to Higher Learning

The pursuit of knowledge didn't stop at basic literacy. Higher education became a new frontier. Cheyney University, the first Historically Black College and University (HBCU), was founded in Pennsylvania in 1837, predating the Civil War. By the time the war ended in 1865, four HBCUs were already established.

These institutions were crucial. Without them, Black Americans would have been largely barred from accessing higher education. In the 15 years following the Civil War, an astonishing 59 more HBCUs opened their doors, including Howard University in 1867, offering not just college courses but programs in law, medicine, education, and pharmaceuticals. True liberation, it turns out, often comes with a degree.

While formerly enslaved Black Americans seeking freedom in the North faced new opportunities, they also encountered racial discrimination and poverty in cities like Chicago and New York. Legal and racial hostility remained a constant companion.

But through it all, education remained a top priority. From basic reading and math to job skills, citizenship, and advanced professional careers, knowledge was the key to improving their lives. Juneteenth offered the promise of freedom, but education was the engine that made that promise a reality. And if that's not a story worth sharing, what is?