The History of Juneteenth
This holiday is referred to as being an “Independence Day” for African-Americans. Because, on June 19, in the year of 1865, Major General Gordon Granger rode into Galveston with his nearly two thousand Union troops. Granger’s trip was an important mission. He was there to deliver an official message that would forever change countless lives. His message was known as “General Order Number 3” and it came directly from the President. In part, the order read, “The people of Texas are informed that in accordance with a Proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free…” Granger’s announcement finally gave overdue freedom to the quarter of a million African-American who were still slaves. He also gave notice that the long fought Civil War had ended.
Actually, President Abraham Lincoln had put an end to slavery nearly two and a half years earlier in 1863 when he issued his Emancipation Proclamation. His directive began, “That on the 1st day of January, A.D. 1863, all persons held as slaves within any State or designated part of a State the people whereof shall then be in rebellion against the United States shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free; and the executive government of the United States, including the military and naval authority thereof, will recognize and maintain the freedom of such persons and will do no act or acts to repress such persons, or any of them, in any efforts they may make for their actual freedom…”
But, slavery continued to be practiced in Texas in defiance of President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation. Up until that warm summer day in June of 1865, the townspeople of Galveston, Texas had seen very few Union soldiers. It was only after General Lee surrendered in 1865 and Major General Granger arrived in town with his troops that the President’s order was upheld.
The townspeople reacted to Granger’s news with great surprise. The African-Americans reacted with jubilance and tears of joy. They poured out into the streets that evening to celebrate the occasion. They played music, danced, sang, and feasted. However, they weren’t the only people to celebrate that date. Since that historical day, Juneteenth has been kept alive by future generations of African-Americans. At first, some of the other cities located in the south joined Galveston on the June 19th festivities. Then, as the years passed, and the joyous news of the unofficial holiday spread, more and more people began to honor the day that marked the final freedom for the thousands of African-Americans who were still held in slavery.
One such supporter of Juneteenth was Texas State Representative Al Edwards. Edwards was elected to the house in 1978. In 1979, he composed and sponsored “House Bill 1016”. If this bill
was passed, it would make Juneteenth an official state holiday. And pass it did! More than one hundred years later, on January 1, 1980, Juneteenth finally became recognized when it was named an official holiday in the state of Texas. Since then, Representative Edwards has continued to support the commemoration of the Juneteenth holiday.
Today, Juneteenth is celebrated as the day that the remaining early African-American slaves received their overdue freedom. It has grown to be a time for celebration that include parades, picnics, games, poetry readings, raffles, rodeos, and other special events. Religious ceremonies are often included in the festivities as well. Branches of the the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), the Smithsonian Institution, Juneteenth America, Incorporated, the Juneteenth Festival of Buffalo, New York, and the Henry Ford Museum are just a few organizations that sponsor Juneteenth celebrations every year.
The Civil Rights Movement of the 50’s and 60’s led to the “Poor People’s March” in 1968. Reverend Ralph Abernathy, the man who spearheaded that march, appealed to everyone- no matter their race, religious beliefs,or financial levels- to travel to Washington to show their support for the impoverished. As it turned out, many of the people who traveled to the capitol to participate in the rally returned home with a renewed interest. The result was that two of the largest celebration sites outside of Texas became Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Minneapolis, Minnesota, respectively.
This state holiday also represents the everlasting freedom that all African-Americans continue to enjoy. It’s a time to rejoice. It’s a time to think about the past, as well as the present and the future. Not only for African-Americans, but for all the people of the world.
