
This Schoolhouse Rock style cartoon from the show Black-ish explains the important holiday celebrating the end of slavery in the United States. “I Am a Slave” features great music by The Roots:
As the Washington Post noted when it came out, the song was inspired after the family attended a Columbus Day event, and Dre (Anthony Anderson) was inspired to promote celebrating Juneteenth with Aloe Blacc:
“What is Juneteenth?” one of Dre’s colleagues asked to the chagrin of his bosses, who knew where this was headed.
Dre explained the holiday, celebrated on June 19, which marks the day in 1865 that the last slaves were freed in the United States. Blacc volunteered that Juneteenth might be better illustrated through song, launching into a parody of the “Schoolhouse Rock” animated music video “I’m Just a Bill.”
For those too young to remember what they’re parodying here, it’s “I’m Just a Bill,” the classic cartoon from another civic-minded show:
Happy Juneteenth! To learn more, please visit the National Museum of African American History & Culture‘s terrific resources.
Image: YouTube / ABC