Juneteenth with Historian Carey Latimore

In 2021, Juneteenth—also known as Emancipation Day or Freedom Day—became the United States federal holiday, but many are still unaware of its origins and significance in American history. On this special episode of VOICES’s Where Ya From? podcast, author and associate professor Dr. Carey Latimore shares with us the legacy of Juneteenth and the radical faith it still inspires today.

Guest Bio:

Carey H. Latimore IV serves as associate professor of history, co-director of the African American studies program at Trinity University, and associate pastor of a local church. Frequently asked to serve as a commentator and consultant on current topics such as race, land ownership, political identity, and religion for local and state media and organizations, he has also authored Unshakeable Faith: African American Stories of Redemption, Hope, and Community and The Role of Southern Free Blacks During the Civil War and appears in Our Daily Bread Media’s documentary film Juneteenth: Faith & Freedom. Dr. Latimore and his wife reside in San Antonio, Texas.

Notes & Quotes:

“I think Black people in their faith were kind of presenting a mirror and a window into the essence of the gospels that many people have forgotten or left behind.”
“On Juneteenth, people start talking about what we can be, what we can do. What we have done. It’s an inspiring moment because we think of the possibilities.”
“When one group becomes free, we all become freer.”
“When those people came out of slavery at Juneteenth, we all came a little bit out of slavery. We all lost one link on that chain on our way towards a greater freedom, so that’s why we celebrate.”