Today commemorates the day that enslaved black people in the deepest part of Texas learned that they were free. Although the Emancipation Proclamation issued by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863 already made the declaration “that all persons held as slaves…are, and henceforward shall be free,” many enslavers did not communicate that to the enslaved for obvious reasons.
For two years, the enslaved would continue to provide free labor in the south. Union leader Major General Gordon Granger found out that many were not aware of the proclamation so when he landed in Galveston, Texas in 1865 he let everyone know that the civil war was over and the enslaved were now free.
General Granger read to the people of Texas what is called the General Order Number 3.
“The people of Texas are informed that in accordance with a Proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired laborer.”
The aftermath of the announcement was a celebration of freedom that became known as Juneteenth or Freedom Day. Texas made Juneteenth an official state holiday on January 1, 1980 with the help of state legislator Al Edwards. In present time, the day is celebrated with parades, social gatherings and cookouts on June 19th of every year.
In 2020, more people than ever are aware of Juneteenth with the recent attention to the rights of black Americans and global protests fighting against inequality and racism. Several companies are observing the day, while protestors bring more awareness via gatherings and social media.
We celebrate Juneteenth. However, we also know we still have a long ways to go before true equality is no longer a goal, but a reality.
