All Americans know that our country’s Independence Day, observed annually on July 4th, marks our independence from England. Far fewer understand the second independence day observed by millions of Americans every June 19th. That date marks the liberation of the last remaining African slaves in America, who did not benefit from our Declaration of Independence. Here we’ll look at the history and present-day status of the annual celebration known as Juneteenth.
A Broader Celebration of Freedom
On January 1, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln freed many American slaves with the Emancipation Proclamation. However, it would be nearly three years before all slaves were freed nationwide. The Civil War continued to rage until April 1865, which was certainly a factor in the delay, as slaveholding states resisted the president’s directive. Lincoln’s proclamation also exempted some states: an inequitable stipulation that was rectified by the 13th Amendment, Abolition of Slavery, in December 1865.
Six months prior to the ratification of that constitutional amendment, Union troops freed a quarter of a million slaves on June 19th in Texas, the last holdout of slaveholding states. A holiday was born on that day as the broader promise and intent of the Emancipation Proclamation was realized. One year later, on June 19th, 1866, former slaves began the celebration of Juneteenth—a portmanteau of June and nineteenth—in Galveston.
The holiday, alternatively known as Juneteenth Independence Day or Freedom Day, 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.
The Long Road to Recognition
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.
History Holds the Key to Your Future
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Sources:
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/when-did-slavery-really-end-in-the-u-s-the-complicated-history-of-juneteenth/ar-AA1cB8op
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