June 19th 2023.
Today is Juneteenth, a public holiday in the US which commemorates the abolishment of slavery in Texas in 1865. The holiday has taken on new meaning in 2021, after US President Joe Biden announced it would be celebrated as a federal holiday for the first time. He said it would be ‘one of the greatest honours of his presidency’.
So what is the meaning behind Juneteenth and how is it celebrated? Juneteenth marks the end of slavery in the US which happened on June 19, 1865. Union soldiers, led by Major General Gordon Grander, arrived in Galveston, Texas to deliver the news that the war was over and the enslaved were now free. The day is also referred to as Emancipation Day.
Though slavery had officially been abolished two and a half years earlier, in 1863, it was not enforced in Texas due to a lack of Union troops. This led many slave owners to move to the state to continue their business. Therefore, June 19th became the day to celebrate the emancipation of the slaves.
The name 'Juneteenth' is a combination of 'June' and 'nineteenth'. The day is also known as Juneteenth Independence Day, Freedom Day or Emancipation Day.
Juneteenth is a state holiday or observance in 47 states and Washington DC, and as of 2021 it is a federal holiday too. It is marked on Google and Apple Calendars. People celebrate Juneteenth in a variety of ways, such as rodeos, fishing, barbecuing and baseball. Usually, there are guest speakers, prayer services and traditional foods such as strawberry soda-pop, barbecue and meats like lamb, pork and beef.
It is important to recognize Juneteenth as a reminder of the history of slavery in the US, and to celebrate the emancipation of the enslaved. It is a day of reflection, education and celebration.
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