ABC News will present a primetime special on Friday, Juneteenth: A Celebration of Overcoming, with a focus on the symbolism of the holiday that commemorates the end of slavery in America.
Appearing during the special will be ABC News Live Prime Anchor Linsey Davis, Nightline co-anchor Byron Pitts, The View moderator Whoopi Goldberg and correspondents Deborah Roberts, TJ Holmes, Steve Osunsami and Janai Norman. The special, airing from 8 PM to 9 PM, will feature reporting from Tulsa, OK; Galveston, TX and other cities. The special will examine the legacy of the holiday, as well as the efforts for voting rights and the struggle to pass anti-lynching legislation, as well as a look at Black spirituality and faith.
A number of companies have made Juneteenth a holiday this year, after the nationwide protests following the death of George Floyd.
Catherine McKenzie, executive producer of the special, said that “for a lot of people, including myself, [Juneteenth is] a day of serious reflection and observance of the struggles of all those who came before us. For some it’s also a time to look forward at the struggles that still exist and have hope for the future.”
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