Veteran free agent safety Michael Thomas commemorated the Juneteenth holiday with an NFL Inspire Change video celebrating the end of slavery with a historical tour of Galveston.
Visiting the city where the last chapter of slavery took place, the Houston native who played for the Texans last season narrated several landmarks of Juneteenth. Thomas was accompanied by Tommie D. Boudreaux of the Galveston Historical Foundation, including sites where Civil War Union General Gerald Gordon Granger handed down an order proclaiming the end of slavery.
They also visited The Ashton Villa, one of the oldest structures in Galveston where a statue of Rep. Al Edwards of Houston stands honoring his efforts to make Juneteenth a state holiday.
The video https://f.io/jFP1cSMU is part of the league's social justice initiative that emphasizes education, economic advancement, improved police community relations and criminal justice reform.
"It's definitely important for us to teach our youth this part of history," Thomas said. "Not just Black history, but because it's American history."
Aaron Wilson has covered the NFL for 20 years and has previously written for The Houston Chronicle and The Baltimore Sun. He’s on Twitter: @AaronWilson_NFL and Instagram: @aaronwilson7128