June 19 marks the anniversary of the end of slavery in the United States when Union troops arrived in Galveston Bay, Texas with news of the Emancipation Proclamation. Penn Today discussed the holiday’s history with Profs. Mary Frances Berry and Kermit Roosevelt of CERL’s Affiliated Faculty, who feature in a new documentary produced by the Annenberg Public Policy Center on Juneteenth and notions of freedom and citizenship.

Kermit Roosevelt works in a diverse range of fields, focusing on constitutional law and conflict of laws. He has published scholarly books in both fields. Conflict of Laws (Foundation Press, 2010) offers an accessible analytical overview of conflicts. The Myth of Judicial Activism: Making Sense of Supreme Court Decisions (Yale, 2006) sets out standards by which citizens can determine whether the Supreme Court is abusing its authority to interpret the Constitution. Read his bio here.