Most Americans celebrate July 4th as the day the U.S. won its independence from Britain. But millions also recognize a second Independence Day, Juneteenth, which marks the day in 1865 when the last enslaved Americans in Texas finally learned they were free.
In this article, we explore the powerful history behind Juneteenth and how it has become a national symbol of delayed justice and the lasting freedom for all.
On January 1, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln freed many American slaves when he issued the Emancipation Proclamation. However, it would be nearly three years before all slaves were freed nationwide.
The Civil War raged until April 1865, delaying the full impact of emancipation, as many slaveholding states resisted Lincoln’s directive. In addition, Lincoln’s proclamation didn’t apply to certain border states and regions under Union control, a gap later closed by the 13th Amendment—Abolition of Slavery—in December 1865.
Six months before that amendment was ratified, Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, and freed a quarter of a million slaves on June 19th, 1865. That day became a milestone as the broader promise of emancipation was finally realized. One year later on June 19th, 1866, former enslaved Texans began commemorating the date. The celebration became known as Juneteenth: a blend of “June” and “nineteenth.”
Also called Juneteenth Independence Day or Freedom Day, the holiday has a rich history. Initially marked by church picnics and speeches, Juneteenth gained momentum as Black Texans relocated to other states and took the tradition with them, spreading its observance nationwide and even internationally. Today, typical festivities include Emancipation Proclamation readings, parades, and concerts.
Juneteenth is an enduring reminder of the struggle for equality that Black Americans and their ancestors have faced, though awareness and acknowledgement of its significance were slow to come for the nation as a whole.
It’s perhaps fitting that in 1980, Texas became the first state to make Juneteenth an official holiday. Other states followed suit beginning in the 1990s, and by 2023 it was an official holiday or observance in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Juneteenth became a federal holiday in 2021.
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Sources:
https://www.archives.gov/exhibits/featured-documents/emancipation-proclamation
https://jackmillercenter.org/emancipation-proclamation-juneteenth-holiday
https://constitutioncenter.org/the-constitution/amendments
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/juneteenth-is-now-a-national-holiday-how-did-it-come-to-pass
https://sgp.fas.org/crs/misc/R44865.pdf
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