A Celebration of Freedom
If you think that Juneteenth is not a real holiday, then you should think again. A holiday is a recognized celebration. It does not have to be sanctioned by the government. However, though Juneteenth is not a recognized national holiday, it is a state holiday recognized in 42 of the 50 states. In Texas, Juneteenth has been an official state holiday since 1980--it is considered a "partial staffing" holiday. The origin of Juneteenth lies in the commemoration of the announcement of the abolition of slavery. While there are now Juneteenth celebrations nationwide, the event originated in Texas and has been celebrated in Houston since the 1860′s. It commemorates a Union officer’s official announcement – in Galveston, on June 19 (in fact, Juneteenth is a portmanteau of June and nineteenth), 1865 – that the Civil War was over and all slaves were free. The declaration was made two months after the war ended, and two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation. There were approximately 250,000 slaves in Texas at the time. Former slaves in Galveston rejoiced in the streets with jubilant celebrations. Juneteenth celebrations began in Texas the following year.
During the US Civil War, a number of proclamations, and general orders freeing enslaved Afrikans were issued. Some Afrikans were emancipated as early as 1861 when Union forces captured outlying areas of the Confederacy such as the Sea Islands of South Carolina, the Tidewater area of Virginia (Hampton and Norfolk) or New Orleans. Other enslaved folks emancipated by escaping during the excitement and disruption of war. Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation liberated all blacks residing in territory captured from the Confederates after January 1, 1863. Though this act did not end slavery, it was a signal to many Afrikans that if they ran away, the Union forces would protect them. However, for the majority of Afrikan Americans, freedom came only in 1865 when Confederate commander Robert E. Lee surrendered his army to Federal forces at Appomattox Court House in Virginia effectively ending the war. News of Lee's surrender spread quickly through the former slave states east of the Mississippi River but state west of the Mississippi received the news later. Hence, though the war and slavery had potentially ended, many of the enslaved west of the Mississippi remained enslaved. Texas was such a place--it had remained isolated from both Union and Confederate forces during the war. In fact it had become a place of refuge for slaveholders seeking to insure that their "property" would not hear of freedom. So in Texas, the pro-slavery forces manage to keep the new of Afrikan freedom from their enslaved population until June 19, 1865, when Federal troops landed at Galveston, Texas and issued General Order No. 3. Word of emancipation gradually spread over the state.
During the US Civil War, a number of proclamations, and general orders freeing enslaved Afrikans were issued. Some Afrikans were emancipated as early as 1861 when Union forces captured outlying areas of the Confederacy such as the Sea Islands of South Carolina, the Tidewater area of Virginia (Hampton and Norfolk) or New Orleans. Other enslaved folks emancipated by escaping during the excitement and disruption of war. Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation liberated all blacks residing in territory captured from the Confederates after January 1, 1863. Though this act did not end slavery, it was a signal to many Afrikans that if they ran away, the Union forces would protect them. However, for the majority of Afrikan Americans, freedom came only in 1865 when Confederate commander Robert E. Lee surrendered his army to Federal forces at Appomattox Court House in Virginia effectively ending the war. News of Lee's surrender spread quickly through the former slave states east of the Mississippi River but state west of the Mississippi received the news later. Hence, though the war and slavery had potentially ended, many of the enslaved west of the Mississippi remained enslaved. Texas was such a place--it had remained isolated from both Union and Confederate forces during the war. In fact it had become a place of refuge for slaveholders seeking to insure that their "property" would not hear of freedom. So in Texas, the pro-slavery forces manage to keep the new of Afrikan freedom from their enslaved population until June 19, 1865, when Federal troops landed at Galveston, Texas and issued General Order No. 3. Word of emancipation gradually spread over the state.
General Order No. 3
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 personal rights and rights of property, between former masters and slaves and the connection heretofore existing between them, becomes that between employer and hired labor. The Freedmen are advised to remain at their present homes and work for wages. They are informed that they will not be allowed to collect at military posts; and they will not be supported in idleness either there or elsewhere.
A Juneteenth celebration in the early 1900s When the news came, Afrikans immediately abandoned their plantations. Many whom had been brought from surrounding states, returned to those lands in an effort to reunite with loved ones. Although news of emancipation came at different times during that Texas summer of 1865, June 19th began the day the Afrikan population gradually settled as their day of celebration. As early 1866 they held parades, picnics, barbecues, and gave speeches in remembrance of their liberation.
By the 1900s these celebrations and festivities had grown to include baseball games, horse races, railroad excursions, and formal balls. By that time Juneteenth had officially become Texas Emancipation Day and was sponsored by black churches and civic organizations. Indeed, Juneteenth had become so respectable that white politicians including various Texas governors addressed the largest gatherings in Houston and Dallas. In Texas in particular, for Afrikan Americans Juneteenth was "the holiday." The Fourth of July paled in comparison.
As the Afrikan population of Texas spread to other western states, they carried the celebration with them and before long Juneteenth was celebrated in Los Angeles, Oakland, Portland, Seattle, and San Diego. The celebration began to spread to communities east of Texas such as Washington, D.C., and Birmingham, Alabama as well.
Economic and cultural forces caused a decline in Juneteenth celebrations beginning in the early 20th century, particularly the Depression.* But by time of the Black Power movement and in many ways because of it, many Afrikan Americans began to revive the celebration. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s Juneteenth has continued to enjoy a growing interest from communities and organizations throughout the country. And you folks in the eight states that don't celebrate it, "What's up?" By the way those states are: Arizona, Hawaii, Maryland, Montana, New Hampshire, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Utah.
*As many Afrikan Americans began to integrate into or identify more with the larger white society, they began to shun Juneteenth and tend to identify and celebrate the national holiday, the Fourth of July. They forgot all about what Frederick Douglass taught them. Click link http://www.historyisaweapon.com/defcon1/douglassjuly4.html, if you need reminding (and have time to read it).
By the 1900s these celebrations and festivities had grown to include baseball games, horse races, railroad excursions, and formal balls. By that time Juneteenth had officially become Texas Emancipation Day and was sponsored by black churches and civic organizations. Indeed, Juneteenth had become so respectable that white politicians including various Texas governors addressed the largest gatherings in Houston and Dallas. In Texas in particular, for Afrikan Americans Juneteenth was "the holiday." The Fourth of July paled in comparison.
As the Afrikan population of Texas spread to other western states, they carried the celebration with them and before long Juneteenth was celebrated in Los Angeles, Oakland, Portland, Seattle, and San Diego. The celebration began to spread to communities east of Texas such as Washington, D.C., and Birmingham, Alabama as well.
Economic and cultural forces caused a decline in Juneteenth celebrations beginning in the early 20th century, particularly the Depression.* But by time of the Black Power movement and in many ways because of it, many Afrikan Americans began to revive the celebration. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s Juneteenth has continued to enjoy a growing interest from communities and organizations throughout the country. And you folks in the eight states that don't celebrate it, "What's up?" By the way those states are: Arizona, Hawaii, Maryland, Montana, New Hampshire, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Utah.
*As many Afrikan Americans began to integrate into or identify more with the larger white society, they began to shun Juneteenth and tend to identify and celebrate the national holiday, the Fourth of July. They forgot all about what Frederick Douglass taught them. Click link http://www.historyisaweapon.com/defcon1/douglassjuly4.html, if you need reminding (and have time to read it).
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