Juneteenth: The Day Slavery Ended in Texas
However, because of antagonism, this order was not set into action in Texas. Two and a half years after President Lincoln had officially freed the slaves, Major General Gordon Granger and nearly two thousand troops of the Union Army arrived in Galveston, Texas. The date was June 19, 1865. Granger broadcast the news that the long-fought Civil War had finally come to an end. More importantly, he also advised the citizens of Texas that all slaves were now free, per orders of the President.
Part of General Granger’s speech was, “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 free
laborer…”
Prior to Granger’s arrival in Texas, the Emancipation Proclamation had been resisted and virtually ignored. But, after General Lee surrendered in 1865, and Granger traveled to Texas with his troops, they were able to overpower the defiant.
On the evening of June 19, 1865, the citizens of Galveston, Texas took to the streets where they celebrated the historic event with much vigor. They danced and sang and partook of food
joyously.
As the years progressed, “Juneteenth” took on more popularity. Other cities in the South even joined in on the summertime celebration which was held annually on, of course, the nineteenth day of June.
Finally, an African-American named Al Edwards, who was a state legislator, worked to turn the unofficial festivity into an official holiday. On January 1, 1980, Juneteenth became an official state holiday for Texas. It’s the oldest known celebration for the cessation of slavery.
The Juneteenth holiday continued to grow and be celebrated annually. It had some assistance in 1968 when Reverend Ralph Abernathy, during his “Poor Peoples March”, beckoned to all people- no matter what their race, religion, or economic condition was- to travel to Washington, D.C. and back the poor people. It was a successful march, and some people even went home and started Juneteenth celebrations in their own cities and towns.
Today, Juneteenth is still celebrated in Texas. It’s customary to hold barbecues, picnics, parades, and have guest speakers on this very special date. Its popularity has spread to many other cities and towns throughout the country. Two of the utmost celebrations are held in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Minneapolis, Minnesota, respectively.
If you are interested in attending a Juneteenth celebration, or maybe bringing the holiday to your town, you should visit http://www.juneteenth.com/ on the World Wide Web. On this site, you will find official contact information.
