Juneteenth, also known as Emancipation Day, Freedom Day, Jubilee Day, and Liberation Day, is the oldest known US celebration of the end of slavery. On June 19, 1865, over two and a half years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation, enslaved African Americans in Texas were told they were free.
History of Juneteenth
The anniversary is celebrated much like the Fourth of July, with parties, picnics, and gatherings with family and friends. Juneteenth National Independence Day is the first federal holiday established since Martin Luther King Jr. Day in 1983 and is at least the 11th federal holiday recognized by the US federal government.
More than half of the states recognize Juneteenth as a paid state holiday, and all states have some recognition or observance, according to the Pew Research Center. Former Texas state representative Al Edwards was known as the “father of Juneteenth.” Edwards sponsored the bill that made Juneteenth a state holiday in 1980.
Opal Lee is known as the “grandmother of Juneteenth.” The Texas activist worked for years to have Juneteenth recognized nationwide. She attended the presidential signing of the bill into law.
Key Dates
June 19, 1862 – Slavery is abolished in the federal territories of the United States. January 1, 1863 – President Abraham Lincoln issues the final Emancipation Proclamation, freeing only those enslaved in “rebellious” states, but the proclamation is not enforced and has little impact on slavery in some southern states, including Texas.
November 19, 1863 – The Gettysburg Address: At the dedication of a Pennsylvania cemetery of soldiers killed in battle, Lincoln delivers one of his most famous speeches. The final passage in the short, two-minute speech includes the phrase, “a new birth of freedom,” a reference to the abolition of slavery.
January 31, 1865 – Congress passes the 13th Amendment. February 1, 1865 – Lincoln, in a symbolic gesture, signs the 13th Amendment a little more than two months before his death. His assassin, John Wilkes Booth, supported slavery.
June 19, 1865 – Major General Gordon Granger and Union Army troops arrive in Galveston, Texas. Supported by a military presence, Granger issues General Orders No. 3, officially notifying Texans that enslaved people are emancipated.
December 6, 1865 – The 13th Amendment is ratified and becomes part of the US Constitution, abolishing slavery of any kind, now or in the future. It is not immediately ratified by every state, including Texas.
Original reporting: KRDO (Colorado Springs metro) — read the source article.
