Black History Knowledge
Black History Knowledge — June 17
What happened on this day. These are the June 17 moments in Black history worth knowing, remembering, and passing on.
1775 — Black soldiers fight at the Battle of Bunker Hill
On June 17, 1775, Black soldiers including Peter Salem and Salem Poor fought at the Battle of Bunker Hill. Their service challenges the way the American Revolution is often told, reminding us that Black people were present in the fight for American independence even while freedom was denied to many of them.
2015 — Nine Black worshippers are killed at Emanuel AME Church
On June 17, 2015, a white supremacist murdered nine Black worshippers during Bible study at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina. This is included because it was a racially motivated massacre inside a historic Black church.
2021 — Juneteenth becomes a federal holiday
On June 17, 2021, President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law. The law made June 19 a federal holiday, giving national recognition to a freedom tradition Black communities had preserved since 1865.
