Juneteenth, a Marginalized Historical History Juneteenth (short for “June Nineteenth”) is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. Dating back to 1865, it was on June 19th that the Union soldiers, led by Major General Gordon Granger, landed at Galveston, Texas with news that the war had ended and that the enslaved were now free. Keeping in mind that it was two and a half years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation - which had become official January 1, 1863. Several attempts to later explain the two and a half year delay in the receipt of this important news have yielded several versions that have been handed down through generations. Often is the story of a messenger who was murdered on his way to Texas with the news of freedom. Another is that federal troops actually waited for the slave owners to reap the benefits of one last cotton harvest before going to Texas to enforce the Emancipation Proclamation. The most realistic to the time, is that many slave owners had gone to fight in the Civil War and came home without telling their slaves what had happened, deliberately maintaining the labor force on the plantations. In reality, the Emancipation Proclamation didn’t instantly free any slaves because it only applied to places under Confederate control and not to slave- holding border- states or rebel areas already under Union control. However, as Northern troops advanced into the Confederate South, many slaves fled behind Union lines. Since Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation as a military measure, it didn’t apply to border slave states like Delaware, Maryland, Missouri, and Kentucky all of which were loyal to the Union. Of particular conflict- the state of Missouri which had two competing governments; one loyal to, and recognized by the Union, and one loyal to the Confederacy. Lincoln also exempted selected areas of the Confederacy that had already come under Union control in hopes of gaining the loyalty of whites in those states. In practice, then, the Emancipation Proclamation didn’t immediately free a single slave, as the only places it applied were places where the federal government had no control—the Southern states currently fighting against the Union. From its Galveston, Texas origin in 1865, the observance of June 19th as the African American Emancipation Day has spread across the United States and beyond.

In speaking with elders in the African American community, they remember Juneteenth celebrations revolving around the church with speeches and picnics. It changed around the 1960s with the civil rights movement. It became a little more secular and stretched over more than one day, it became more of a community gathering, sharing of information, but always bringing in freedom. Now each celebration is different, from parades in places like Philadelphia, Chicago, New York, Atlanta, San Francisco and Houston, to concerts in Tulsa, Denver, Georgia, and Washington, D.C., where they’re known to have readings of the Emancipation Proclamation.

In 1980, Texas was the first state to make Juneteenth a state holiday, although it had been celebrated informally since 1865. Black Texans took the holiday with them as they moved around the country and overseas. Forty-six states and the District of Columbia recognize Juneteenth as a state holiday or day of recognition, like Flag Day. Countries like South Korea, Ghana, Israel, Taiwan, France, and the U.S. territory of Guam have held or now hold Juneteenth celebrations.

Today, African Americans and others mark Juneteenth -- much like the Fourth of July, with parties, picnics, pageants, and gatherings with family and friends. It celebrates African American freedom and emphasizes education and achievement, the celebrating of a community, all cultures, and ethnicities. The purpose is to share the stories and memories that commemorate African American traditions, history, struggles and achievements from the past to the present. The theme is often to show the perseverance through adversity and that we will continue to break the shackles of oppression and hate. It is a time for assessment, self- improvement, reflection, and for planning the future. Its popularity signifies a level of maturity and dignity in America long overdue. While it is not yet a national holiday, the US Senate passed a resolution last year recognizing "Juneteenth Independence Day" as a national holiday, but it has not yet been approved in the House. The National Juneteenth Observance Foundation, an organization based in Mississippi, has worked for years to get Juneteenth recognized or observed as a national holiday.

In 1776 the country was freed from the British, but not all people were free. June 19, 1865, was actually when the people and the entire country was actually free. It's also a day to remember the sacrifices that were made for freedom in the United States, especially in these racially and politically charged days. Our freedoms are fragile, and it doesn't take much for things to go backward. In southern 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.