Juneteenth: A Time to Remember
June 19th is Juneteenth, and if you live in the south, you’re probably familiar with this special day. But maybe you don’t know how it all came about, or what it involves today.
Juneteenth is officially called African American Emancipation Day and marks the day that Union general Gordon Granger read the Emancipation Proclamation in Galveston. This document officially released slaves from their obligations. This took place on June 19, 1865—two full years after President Abraham Lincoln ended slavery. News traveled slowly in those days!
In the early years of Juneteenth, people celebrated by holding political rallies to teach freed African Americans about their voting rights and citizenship responsibilities. These gatherings soon evolved into community activities, parades, festivals and family reunions.
In the late 1960s Juneteenth began to fade in popularity. More recently, though, families and communities are rediscovering the pride in our nation’s history and our ongoing struggle to treat all citizens with dignity and fairness. Juneteenth began as an African-American holiday, but in modern years has transformed into a celebration of freedom for all people, and a time to reflect on the changes our country has experienced. It’s a time to promote unity and build self-esteem through reflection, education and acknowledgement of achievements of all races, nationalities and ethnicities.
Since Juneteenth began in Galveston, Texas, it should come as no surprise that it has been a Texas state holiday since 1980. Juneteenth is recognized in 30 states plus Washington, D.C.
Would you like to celebrate Juneteenth? There’s no wrong way to do it, so use your creativity to come up with a great plan! Maybe you’d like to host a community flag raising with community leaders participating. Perhaps your library and city hall could host Juneteenth displays. You could organize a neighborhood block party, plan a special meal, or have a family reunion. Or maybe you’d prefer a personal celebration. In that case, take some time to reflect and then look forward. Make a wish, make a plan and write down your thoughts!
For more information, visit www.juneteenth.com.
