Speaking calendar/Juneteenth
June 19th

Juneteenth

A federal holiday in the United States commemorating the emancipation of enslaved African Americans. It is a day that blends historical reflection with vibrant celebrations of Black culture, music, and resilience.

SPEAKING LESSONB1 / B2Discussion · Vocabulary · Activities
01 / LET’S TALK

Speaking Discussion

  1. Why is it crucial for a country to have national holidays that acknowledge its darkest historical periods?
  2. Do you think true freedom is just about changing the law, or does it take generations to change a society's mindset?
  3. How does food and music act as a bridge to keep a community's historical memory alive?
  4. In your home country, how do marginalised or minority communities celebrate their history and resilience?
  5. Why do you think it took until 2021 for Juneteenth to be recognised as an official federal holiday in the USA?
02 / PUT IT INTO PRACTICE

Activity 1: The Great Debate

Motion: "Historical events, no matter how painful, should be taught in schools without any censorship to protect younger students' feelings."

Split the class into two sides. Team A defends complete transparency and historical accountability; Team B argues for age-appropriate filtering to avoid psychological distress.

Activity 2: Rapid Fire Sentences

Complete the sentence and justify it in 20 seconds.

  • "The most important right any human being can have is definitely..."
  • "When I think of the word freedom, the first image that comes to my mind is..."
  • "Learning about the dark parts of a country's history makes me feel..."