June 5th 2024.
On June 19th, we commemorate a significant day in history - the day when all enslaved Black Americans in a Texas town learned of their freedom. This day, known as Juneteenth, is a reminder of the heroism of those who came before us and the events that led to its establishment. While the road to Juneteenth was filled with tragedy and oppression, it is a testament to the resilience and strength of those who fought for freedom and liberation.
For enslaved Black Americans, the hope for a future free from bondage was a constant thought. They dreamed of a life filled with promise and opportunities, rather than pain and suffering. And on January 1, 1863, their dreams became a reality with the news of the Emancipation Proclamation - an official decree that all enslaved people were free. This news brought joy and celebration, as many Black Americans traveled to spread the word. But unfortunately, this was not the case for everyone.
The Emancipation Proclamation had its limitations. It only applied to states that had seceded from the United States, leaving out border states and Southern secessionist states already under Northern control. It was primarily a war measure to ensure the Confederacy's return to the Union and needed the Union's victory in the Civil War to enforce the complete abolishment of slavery. However, on June 19, 1865, Union soldiers marched into Galveston Bay, Texas, announcing their victory and enforcing the freedom of over 200,000 enslaved people. This marked the birth of Juneteenth.
Many consider Texas to be the birthplace of Juneteenth. The name itself is a combination of June and nineteenth, and it was first celebrated in the state in 1866, a year after the total abolition of slavery. After gaining their freedom, many formerly enslaved Texans focused on reuniting with their families and improving their quality of life. To mark this shift in their lives, they held prayer meetings, sang spirituals, and dressed in new clothes to symbolize their newfound liberation.
Some people made it a tradition to travel to Galveston every year to honor the day, while others created new traditions, such as rodeos and horseback riding, to celebrate. Many newly freed Black Americans were also taught about their voting rights. As these traditions spread to nearby states like Mississippi and Louisiana, Juneteenth evolved into the holiday we know today - a day of religious services, speeches, educational events, music, and food festivals.
Unfortunately, the significance of Juneteenth was not known to many African Americans outside of Texas and the surrounding Southern states. It was not officially recognized as a holiday in Texas until 1980, and many people in the North were not familiar with it at all. During the Reconstruction Era, there were attempts by white southerners to glorify the Antebellum period, with little acknowledgement of the horrors of slavery. Despite this, Black Americans still sought to honor and remember their victory over their oppressors. However, as the years went by, war and racial violence continued to scar the holiday, and celebrations began to decrease in the 1930s and 1940s.
But in the 1970s, there was a resurgence of Juneteenth celebrations as Black Americans sought to reclaim their heritage and their emancipation. However, the celebrations were mostly private, as there was little improvement in how the holiday was celebrated during the Civil Rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s. Juneteenth has always remained an important part of Black America's legacy throughout the South.
Every household has its own way of celebrating Juneteenth. For those who grew up in Texas, it was a tradition passed down from generation to generation. Families would gather at Fort Worth's Martin Luther King Junior Center, listening to stories of what happened on that fateful day. One activist, Opal Lee, has dedicated her life to honoring the memory of the formerly enslaved people of Texas. She had a vision for how the state could commemorate Juneteenth, and her efforts led to a multi-day event in Fort Worth that includes a parade, prayer breakfast, health and job fair, Miss Juneteenth Pageant, 5K run, art exhibit, and more.
But Lee's efforts did not stop there. At the age of 90, she started a walking campaign to make Juneteenth a federally recognized holiday. She traveled through states, covering 2.5 miles at a time, until she had covered 21 states. And on June 17, 2021, her hard work paid off when President Biden signed a bill making Juneteenth a federal holiday.
As Juneteenth gains more popularity, more Americans are learning about its history. It has become a staple celebration in households throughout the country. And while freedom was first granted to Northerners, it was the South that carried the torch and legacy of Juneteenth. It is a day to remember the past, honor those who fought for freedom, and celebrate the resilience and strength of the Black community.
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