Tina Knowles-Lawson says her kids Beyoncé & Solange 'always' celebrate Juneteenth

Juneteenth is a holiday to celebrate the emancipation of people who had been enslaved in the United States of America. Originating in Galveston, Texas, it is now observed annually on June 19 throughout the US. Tina Knowles-Lawson, the mother of singers Beyoncé and Solange Knowles, explained the importance of the holiday and how her kids have always celebrated it. 

Beyonce and Solange always celebrate Juneteenth, says their mother Tina

In a recent appearance on CBS This Morning, Beyonce Knowles' mother Tina Knowles-Lawson raised awareness about Juneteenth. She recalled that when she was a child, ever since she could remember, they always celebrated the holiday. It was the day that they went to the beach. The fashion designer stated that when she got older, she was able to go to Houston to Emancipation Park, where they have "big beautiful" parades for the occasion. She noted that her family always celebrated the day and it's always been a "very important" holiday. 

Tina Knowles-Lawson admitted that she was surprised that many people didn't know about Juneteeth when she moved to California. She said that there's a lot of history that's kind of been hidden. And a big part of that is there were 19,000 black soldiers who fought for their freedom as well, in 1866. She thinks that it is important for everyone to know because they have been told differently. And it's just one more thing of how the vital part that people of colour have played in the history of the USA and helping to build this country has been changed. "Everyone needs to know the truth," she noted. 

Tina Knowles-Lawson shared the experience of raising her daughters Beyoncé and Solange. She asserted that she "absolutely" always knew that it was an "honour to be a Black" person. This is what her parents taught her. The businesswoman stated that everyone should have "pride and just feel very honoured" by that. And so she was careful to impart that message to her children as well to surround them with African American art and images that they "didn't obviously see" on TV or around as much as they should have. 

Tina noted that it is up to the parents to impart that knowledge to their children and pass it on. She mentioned that her kids, Beyonce and Solange, celebrate the 19th of June. They "always have and they always will," she added. Take a look at the clip below. 

Saturday marks #Juneteenth, the holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the U.S.

To honor the day, @Facebook has teamed up with Tina Knowles-Lawson, @Beyonce and @solangeknowles' mother.

Tina Knowles-Lawson joins us to discuss what the holiday means to her family. pic.twitter.com/pQjSEE3fAU

— CBS This Morning (@CBSThisMorning)

IMAGE: MS TINA LAWSON INSTAGRAM