Webb Plaza

Juneteenth (a combination of the words “June Nineteenth”), also known as Freedom Day, marks the celebration of the day when all enslaved people in the United States were freed. It is a day to celebrate black independence, hope, and justice, and is also a time to reflect on the Constitution’s principal of liberty for our nation. Although Juneteenth has been celebrated since June 19, 1865, many people today are still unaware of its significance. Despite being observed across the country for more than a hundred years, Juneteenth was not established as a federal holiday until June 17, 2021. In light of this, let’s briefly dive into the momentous history of Juneteenth.

President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, freeing all of the four million enslaved people in the United States. Although the proclamation freed all slaves in Confederate territory, it would take two and a half years for the Civil War to officially end and word to spread to all enslaved people throughout rebel territories where slavery continued. Union troops traveled to plantations across the south and read out papers that spread news of the proclamation, declaring that “all slaves are free.”

On June 19, 1865, General Gordon Granger and his 2,000 troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, a place relatively untouched by Union troops throughout the Civil War. Granger read out loud the Texas order stating that all 250,000 slaves in the state were free.

Celebrations broke out throughout Texas. The following year, the day was marked as “Jubilee Day,” and became an annual Texas holiday before it spread throughout the country and came to be known as, “Juneteenth.”

Although the journey for racial equality would take other turns later on, this was a historic and remarkable time of hope, an end to more than 200 years of lawful slavery. In the period after the Thirteenth Amendment was ratified, known as the Reconstruction period, African American people strove to build schools, run for public office, reunite separated families, and expand the rights of formerly enslaved people throughout the country.

Today, many celebrate Juneteenth with parades, community and religious events, family gatherings, and cookouts that include red-colored beverages, considered the official Juneteenth drink. The holiday is also an opportunity for activism aimed at educating the public about the holiday’s important history and the continued pursuit of equality and justice for all.

Happy Juneteenth!