Today is Juneteenth, the holiday that commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. Also known as Jubilee Day or Freedom Day, it marks the date in 1865 when Union soldiers told enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, the Civil War had ended and they were free.

“It’s a day for reflection and for us to think about what happened and any progress that we’ve made,” says Dr. Kim Dulaney, director of education and programs at Chicago’s DuSable Museum of African American History. She spoke with WBEZ’s Mary Dixon about the holiday’s purpose — and why it’s gained renewed attention this year.

Press play to hear the full conversation.