[ti:Juneteenth Celebration Amid Civil Rights Unrest] [by:www.51voa.com] [00:00.00]更多听力请访问51VOA.COM [00:00.04]Friday is Juneteenth in the United States. [00:05.92]It is a day when Americans mark the end [00:10.00]to the enslavement of black people in the country. [00:15.24]Juneteenth is often described as the nation's second Independence Day. [00:22.08]This year, Juneteenth takes on special meaning [00:27.12]as millions of people around the U.S. [00:30.88]enter the 25th straight day of civil rights protests. [00:36.96]The demonstrators are demanding an end to police violence against blacks [00:43.92]and unequal treatment of that population by law enforcement. [00:49.92]Studies show a disproportionate number of blacks -- compared to whites [00:56.20]-- die or suffer injury at the hands of U.S. police. [01:02.48]Juneteenth marks the day of June 19, 1865, [01:09.04]when federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, [01:13.84]to take command of the state. [01:17.36]Texas was a member of the Confederate States of America, [01:22.76]the alliance of southern states that had fought to keep slavery legal. [01:30.84]The general who led the federal troops had some important news [01:36.32]and he wasted no time in telling it: [01:40.92]the Civil War had ended and the South had surrendered. [01:46.40]The war had officially ended in April. [01:51.72]But it is likely that most of the 250,000 slaves in Texas [01:58.60]did not know that at the time. [02:01.48]Many also did not know until June 19th [02:05.68]that the president of the United States -- Abraham Lincoln [02:10.88]-- had declared them free more than two years earlier. [02:16.80]White slaveholders would have had little interest in reporting such news [02:23.00]nor would they have likely accepted Lincoln's order as lawful. [02:28.36]The next year, black families and communities led celebrations [02:35.48]and other events in Texas to mark the first anniversary of their freedom. [02:42.36]In the years that followed, celebrations of the Texas event spread to other states. [02:51.36]In 1970, Texas became the first state to recognize Juneteenth. [02:59.24]Today, 46 other states also mark the anniversary. [03:05.44]And, this week, the leaders of New York and Virginia [03:10.84]signed orders to recognize Juneteenth each year [03:15.80]as a day off with pay for government workers. [03:20.40]It seems likely the massive protests this year [03:25.04]played a part in the governors' decisions. [03:29.32]The demonstrations began May 26th, [03:32.92]the day after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota. [03:38.92]The unarmed black man was killed during an arrest by police. [03:46.52]A video recording of the incident [03:49.40]was shared widely on the internet in the hours that followed. [03:54.84]In it, Officer Derek Chauvin is seen kneeling on Floyd's neck [04:01.64]for almost nine minutes. [04:04.56]The former officer has been charged with murder in the case. [04:10.00]Three others face charges of aiding and abetting murder. [04:16.60]Since Floyd's death, several other black men [04:20.48]have been killed in interactions with the police. [04:25.12]On Tuesday, President Donald Trump signed an executive order [04:31.12]listing several police reforms. [04:34.80]The next day, the U.S. Senate proposed legislation on the issue. [04:41.96]And the House of Representatives is expected to open debate [04:47.24]on its proposal for police reform next week. [04:52.88]I'm Caty Weaver. 更多听力请访问51VOA.COM