Black-ish is one of the greatest primetime television shows of all time. No, it wasn’t perfect — but what show is? What made Black-ish so special was its ability to teach and convey lessons through the lens of humor and evoke self-reflection. One of those special moments was the episode Kenya Barris and the team created for Juneteenth. Although the last and final episode aired earlier this year in April, the lessons from the show still live on.
Okay, did you know the Black-ish Juneteenth episode was a musical?
The opening scene really set the tone.
Also, Grandma Ruby had butterscotch candy as a snack, and the nostalgia hit my soul. Whose Black grandma didn’t have random butterscotch candy always available?!
Andre goes into immediate action.
Slavery was real, and its effects are lasting.
The opening song talks about the terror of slavery and its disregard for humanity. And even when enslaved people were “freed” by the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 — the Civil War continued until 1865. Enslaved people in Galveston didn’t get the news until about two and a half years later, on June 19, hence Juneteenth.