Observing Juneteenth
On June 19th, 1865, Union Army General Gordon Granger rode into Galveston, Texas, and read General Order #3, announcing the end of slavery in that state—almost two-and-a-half years after Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation. "The people of Texas are informed that in accordance with a Proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired laborer."
Texas, as the most remote state of the former Confederacy, is estimated to have had 250,000 slaves in 1865, many having been forced there after the end of the Civil War.
Celebrations observing African-American Emancipation Day in Texas date to 1866, mostly church-centered gatherings, where the holiday became known as Jubilee Day. (Wikipedia)
Texas became the first state to recognize what we now know as “Juneteenth” on January 1, 1980. In 2020 New York, Virginia and New Jersey established Juneteenth as a paid holiday for public employees through executive order.
Today, June 17 2021, President Biden will make Juneteenth the 12th federal holiday.
“Today Juneteenth commemorates African American freedom and emphasizes education and achievement. It is a day, a week, and in some areas a month marked with celebrations, guest speakers, picnics and family gatherings. It is a time for reflection and rejoicing. It is a time for assessment, self-improvement and for planning the future. Its growing popularity signifies a level of maturity and dignity in America long over due. In cities across the country, people of all races, nationalities and religions are joining hands to truthfully acknowledge a period in our history that shaped and continues to influence our society today. Sensitized to the conditions and experiences of others, only then can we make significant and lasting improvements in our society.” (juneteenth.com)
-Patrick Crouse