In essence, Juneteenth is a second Independence Day. After 2½ bloody years of the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, ending slavery in the rebellious states.

It’s June 2nd and here are some reasons why this day matters in rock history: In 1978, Bruce Springsteen released Darkness on the Edge of Town, the hotly anticipated follow-up to 1975’s Born ...