Jackée Harry and James Reynolds Discuss The Importance of Juneteenth

Earlier this week was a very special holiday known as Juneteenth. Days of our Lives not only had Abe Carver and Paulina Price decide to marry on it, but the actors who portray them, James Reynolds and Jackée Harry, explain why it’s such a special day.

Jackée Harry and James Reynolds Explain It All

The show had the two stars talk about it on the show’s official social media sites, including YouTube. Reynolds opened things up by introducing his co-star and explaining how they’re now husband and wife on the show. It was set for Juneteenth and they wanted to help others understand the day’s significance.

Harry explained that she first heard about the holiday at age 12, reminding those watching that she was born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. “To this day, they party down on Juneteenth…party hard,” she emphasized. “It’s known as the day of reparations when the slaves were emancipated by Abraham Lincoln, and a lot of slaves didn’t know they were emancipated, so when they found out, they celebrated!

Reynolds responded, explaining how Lincoln put out the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, right in the middle of the Civil War. “Basically the Emancipation Proclamation only freed the slaves who were in the states that were in rebellion…so the truth of the matter is, slaves weren’t free everywhere.” He went on to explain that word didn’t reach those in Texas until 1865 — and there were a lot of reasons for that.

The two continue to have a fascinating conversation about it, along with showing some scenes from their characters’ wedding and celebration. Check out their entire conversation on Youtube by clicking here.

Days of our Lives (DOOL) airs weekdays on NBC. Check your local listings for airtimes. For more about what’s coming up in Salem, check out all the latest that’s been posted on DAYS spoilers, and for an in-depth look at the show’s history, click here.