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President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation Freeing enslaved Africans in the United States in 1862, and the 13th Amendment passed Congress, officially abolishing the institution of slavery in 1863.
But it would take years for word to spread.On June 19th, 1865, Union soldiers, led by Major General Gordon Granger landed at Galveston, Texas with news that the Civil War was over and sharing the news that the enslaved were now free.
The orders read:
"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 quietly at their present homes and work for wages. They are informed that they will not be allowed to collect at military posts and that they will not be supported in idleness either there or elsewhere."
You might be wondering why it took so long to spread the word? Well, General Robert E. Lee surrendered in April 1865, Union troops didn't arrive until June.
The Emancipation proclamation only freed enslaved Africans in the Confederate states liberated by Union troops not bordering states like Texas.
Though slaves were "FREED" the formerly enslaved were far from free, many were punished for trying to take advantage of their new rights.One former slave recalled seeing people, "hangin' to trees in Sabine bottom right after freedom, 'cause they cotch 'em swimmin' 'cross Sabine River and shoot 'em.'" In one extreme case, according to Hayes Turner, a former slave named Katie Darling continued working for her mistress another six years saying she, "'whip me after the war just like she did 'fore,' "
Even though the newly freed in Texans did not receive the full benefits of freedom, they turned the day into a celebration. June 19 was coined "Juneteenth" a blending of the words "June" and "nineteenth."
Every year since, Juneteenth has been a chance for people to get together with family members, measure progress against freedom, and teach rising generations the importance of self-improvement. The Emancipation Proclamation is read at sermons, meals are shared and they play games.
Those same traditions carry on today in Juneteenth celebrations across the country.
Texas became the first state to make Juneteenth an official holiday in 1979. Since then 41 other states and the District of Columbia have recognized Juneteenth as a state holiday or holiday observance. Although not a federal holiday, many global companies like Twitter, Square, Nike and Lyft had have made the day a company holiday in the wake of protests to end systemic racism sparked by the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Today, more than 150 years after the celebrations began, June 19th is about remembering the past the moving towards a future that "...involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves."Juneteenth. A celebration of freedom, and the fight for its fulfillment.
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