Today is Juneteenth

Today is Juneteenth. If you don't know the importance of Juneteenth, learn about it here. 

Oprah Donates $12 Million To Smithsonian Black History Museum

Earlier this week, Oprah donated $12 million to the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture. She also gave $1 million in 2007 and is a member of the advisory council. Oprah's gift is the largest to be received by the museum and it will name the 350-seat theater after her. 

She said, "I am so proud of African American history and its contributions to our nation as a whole. I am deeply appreciative of those who paved the path for me and all who follow in their footsteps. By investing in this museum, I want to help ensure that we both honor and preserve our culture and history, so that the stories of who we are will live on for generations to come.”

Now, we love our Oprah. She is worth $2.8 billion and Oprah critics aside (pipe down please), we can all agree that this is a great use of her millions. 

The museum is set to open in late 2015. 

Read more here.

Today in History: Women in America Got The Right To Vote

Thanks to Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton who drafted what is now the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. This amendment prohibits any U.S. citizen from being denied the right to vote on the basis of sex.

On June 4, 1919, the proposal to amend the Constitution was passed in House of Representatives 54-25.  The amendment was ratified on August 18, 1920. The Supreme Court upheld the validity of the 19th Amendment in Leser v. Garnett. A second shout-out goes to Justice Brandeis for authoring that Supreme Court opinion.