Juneteenth is the oldest internationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. On June 19th, 1865, Major General Gordon Granger led Union soldiers to Galveston, Texas to officially occupy the last Confederate state. Upon their arrival, General Granger read General Order Number 3 which announced that the Civil War had ended and that the enslaved were now free.
An important note on this event is that it occurred two and a half years after President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, which had become official on January 1st, 1863 and officially emancipated enslaved Africans in America,. The Proclamation had an insignificant impact on Texas due to the minimal number of Union troops available to enforce the executive order. However, with the surrender of General Lee in April 1865 and the arrival of General Granger, Union forces were finally strong enough to influence and overcome the resistance in Texas.
News of emancipation arrived at different times during the Texas summer and autumn of 1865, but locals gradually settled on June 19 (Juneteenth) as their official day of celebration. Beginning in 1866 they held parades, picnics, barbecues, and gave speeches in remembrance of their liberation. Two distinct trends emerged with these early celebrations. First, the oldest of the surviving former slaves were often given a place of honor. Secondly, Black Texans initially used these gatherings to locate missing family members and soon they became staging areas for family reunions.
Sources:
Gates, H. L. (2013, June 17). What is Juneteenth? The Root. https://www.theroot.com/what-is-juneteenth-1790896900
Juneteenth.com (n.d.) History of Juneteenth. https://www.juneteenth.com/history/
Taylor, Q (2011, June17). Juneteenth: The growth of an African American holiday (1865-). BlackPast. https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/juneteenth-birth-african-american-holiday-2/
Today, Juneteenth celebrates African American freedom and achievement while encouraging continuous self-development, respect for all cultures, and preserving those historical narratives that promoted racial and personal advancement. It is also known also as Emancipation Day, Freedom Day, Jubilee Day, Juneteenth Independence Day, and Black Independence Day. Juneteenth became a U.S. federal holiday on June 17, 2021 and is celebrated by communities and organizations throughout the country.
Consistent themes found in Juneteenth celebrations are an emphasis on family, freedom, activism, resilience, historical education and self-improvement. Guest speakers are often brought in to hold important discussions about race and elders are called upon to recount the events of the past. There are often historic-themed performances, parades, activist rallies, commemorative murals, poetry readings, and African drumming and dancing. Rodeos, fishing, and baseball are typical outdoor Juneteenth activities.
Drummers, San Francisco Juneteenth 2017 Photographed by vhines200
Juneteenth celebrations are deeply rooted in cookouts with barbecue pits at the center of the festivities as participants are able to share in the spirit and aromas that their newly emancipated ancestors would have enjoyed during their own ceremonies. An important and prominent symbol of Juneteenth is the color red - found in food, drinks, clothing, and decorations - as it is associated with strength, spirituality, life, and death. The color red serves to remind those today of the sacrifices made in the past, the blood shed in the struggle for freedom, as well as the strength of past and present African American communities. Juneteenth is overall a day for introspection, a platform for education, and a tribute to the monumental contributions of African Americans to the history of the U.S. As Juneteenth becomes increasingly known and recognized each year, the events that took place in Texas 1865 are not forgotten, "for all of the roots tie back to this fertile soil from which a national day of pride is growing."
Sources:
Congressional Research Service (2024, June 13). Juneteenth: Fact sheet. CRS Report. https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/R/R44865
NMAAHC. (2023, December 20). Our American history - Juneteenth. National Museum of African American History and Culture. https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/stories/our-american-story-juneteenth
Tang, T. (2023, June 19). A beginner's guide to celebrating Juneteenth. PBS News Hour. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/a-beginners-guide-to-celebrating-juneteenth
Today's Juneteenth flag is the work of artist Lisa Jeanne Graf, who modified the original Juneteenth flag created in 1997 by Ben Haith, the founder of the National Juneteenth Observance Foundation (NJOF).
The Juneteenth flag is red, white, and blue, the same colors as the USA flag to acknowledge that formerly enslaved people and their descendants are Americans. The arc across the flag symbolizes a new horizon and hope for the future. The star at the flag’s center is a nod to Texas, the Lone Star State, where Juneteenth was first celebrated. The burst outlining the star suggests a new star, a new beginning. The date of the first Juneteenth (June 19, 1865) is often added to the flag.
Source
PBS. (2022, June 15). Learn about and celebrate Juneteenth. https://www.pbs.org/articles/learn-about-and-celebrate-juneteenth
"Proclamation of Emancipation," image provided by Smithsonian. View a transcript of the Proclamation here.
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