Juneteenth
juneteenth officially juneteenth national independence day federal holiday united state celebrated annually june commemorate ending slavery united state holiday name portmanteau word june nineteenth june major general gordon granger ordered final enforcement emancipation proclamation texas end american civil war civil war period slavery came end various area united state different time many enslaved southerner escaped demanded wage stopped work took arm confederacy slave state january congress finally proposed thirteenth amendment united state constitution national abolition slavery june almost enslaved freed victorious union army abolition law remaining u state national abolition amendment ratified december remaining enslaved delaware kentucky freed early celebration date back first involving churchcentered community gathering texas spread across south among newly freed african american slave descendant became commercialized often centering food festival participant great migration brought celebration rest country civil right movement celebration eclipsed nonviolent determination achieve civil right grew popularity focus africanamerican freedom africanamerican art beginning texas proclamation legislation every u state district columbia formally recognized holiday way juneteenth also celebrated mascogos descendant black seminole escaped slavery settled coahuila mexico day recognized federal holiday th u congress enacted president joe biden signed juneteenth national independence day act law juneteenth became first new federal holiday since martin luther king jr day adopted holiday considered longestrunning africanamerican holiday called america second independence day juneteenth fall june often celebrated third saturday june historian mitch kachun considers celebration end slavery three goal celebrate educate agitate early celebration consisted baseball fishing rodeo african american often prohibited using public facility celebration often held church near water celebration characterized elaborate large meal people wearing best clothing common formerly enslaved people descendant make pilgrimage galveston early festival received news coverage janice hume noah arceneaux consider served assimilate africanamerican memory within dominant american story modern observance primarily local celebration many place juneteenth become multicultural holiday tradition include public reading emancipation proclamation promised freedom singing traditional song swing low sweet chariot lift every voice sing reading work noted africanamerican writer ralph ellison maya angelou celebration include picnic rodeo street fair cookout family reunion park party historical reenactment blue festival miss juneteenth contest red food drink traditional celebration including red velvet cake strawberry soda red meant represent resilience joy juneteenth celebration often include lecture exhibition africanamerican culture modern holiday place much emphasis teaching africanamerican heritage karen thomas wrote emerge community leader latched juneteenth help instill sense heritage pride black youth celebration commonly accompanied voter registration effort performing play retelling story holiday also celebration soul food food africanamerican influence tourism review international anne donovan karen debres write barbecue centerpiece juneteenth celebration major news network host special marathon national outlet featuring prominent black voice black seminole nacimiento mexico hold festival reunion known el día de los negro june many former british colony celebrate emancipation day august commemorating slavery abolition act since united nation designated august international day people african descent september president abraham lincoln announced emancipation proclamation would go effect january promising freedom enslaved people rebellious part southern state confederacy including texas enforcement proclamation generally relied upon advance union troop texas remote state former confederacy seen expansion slavery presence union troop low american civil war ended thus enforcement emancipation proclamation slow inconsistent prior granger order june day emancipation proclamation went effect day robert e lee surrendered union april day disbanding confederate military department covering texas may civil war celebration emancipation american civil war – emancipation came different time different part southern united state large celebration emancipation often called jubilee recalling biblical jubilee enslaved people freed took place september january july august april november among date emancipation finally came texas june southern rebellion collapsed celebration widespread date actually mark unequivocal end slavery even texas june came day shared commemoration across united state – created preserved spread ordinary african american – slavery wartime demise end slavery texas lincoln issued preliminary emancipation proclamation midst civil war september declaring rebel end fighting rejoin union enslaved people confederacy would freed first day year january lincoln issued final emancipation proclamation declaring enslaved people confederate state america rebellion union hand freed planter slaveholder eastern state migrated texas escape fighting many brought enslaved people increasing thousand enslaved population state end civil war although lived rural area resided galveston houston several hundred large town estimated enslaved people texas despite surrender confederate generalinchief robert e lee appomattox court house april western confederate army transmississippi formally surrender june morning june union major general gordon granger arrived island galveston take command federal troop recently landed department texas enforce emancipation enslaved population oversee reconstruction nullifying law passed within texas war confederate lawmaker order informed texan accordance proclamation executive united state enslaved people free people texas informed accordance proclamation executive united state slave free involves absolute equality personal right right property former master slave connection heretofore existing becomes employer hired labor freedman advised remain quietly present home work wage informed allowed collect military post supported idleness either elsewhere longstanding urban legend place historic reading general order ashton villa historical evidence support claim evidence granger troop proclaimed ordinance reading aloud indication copy ordinance posted public place including negro church broadway since renamed reedy chapel ame church june galveston historical foundation texas historical commission erected juneteenth plaque osterman building stood signifying location major general granger union headquarters believed issued general order although event commemorates end slavery emancipation remaining enslaved two union border state delaware kentucky would come december thirteenth amendment ratified furthermore thousand black slave freed reconstruction treaty late tribe cherokee creek chickasaw others forced sign new treaty required free slave freedom formerly enslaved people texas given state law status series texas supreme court decision early juneteenth celebration formerly enslaved people galveston rejoiced general order one year later june freedman texas organized first became annual commemoration jubilee day early celebration used political rally give voting instruction newly freed african american independence observance occurred january city black people barred using public park statesponsored segregation facility across part texas freed people pooled fund purchase land hold celebration day first celebrated austin auspex freedmens bureau listed calendar public event year black leader texas raised purchase acre ha land today known houston emancipation park celebrate juneteenth observation soon drawing thousand attendee across texas limestone county estimated black people celebrated booker washington park established juneteenth celebration black community began using word juneteenth jubilee day early word juneteenth appeared print brenham weekly banner white newspaper brenham texas early mention juneteenth celebration outside texas appeared early shreveport louisiana decline celebration jim crow era early th century economic political force led decline juneteenth celebration texas former confederate state passed new constitution amendment effectively disenfranchised black people excluding political process whitedominated state legislature passed jim crow law imposing secondclass status gladys l knight writes decline celebration part upwardly mobile black ashamed slave past aspired assimilate mainstream culture younger generation black becoming removed slavery occupied school pursuit others migrated northern united state could take time simply dropped celebration great depression forced many black people farm city find work difficulty taking day celebrate texas state fair served destination celebrating holiday contributing revival estimated people joined holiday celebration dallas governor texas james allred issued proclamation stating part whereas negro state texas observe june official day celebration emancipation slavery whereas june date general gordon granger command military district texas issued proclamation notifying negro texas free whereas since time texas negro observed day suitable holiday ceremony except year day come sunday governor state asked proclaim following day holiday state observance negro whereas june year fall sunday therefore james v allred governor state texas set aside proclaim day june date observance emancipation day texas urge member negro race texas observe day manner appropriate importance seventy thousand people attended juneteenth jamboree second wave great migration five million black people left texas louisiana part south north west coast historian isabel wilkerson writes people texas took juneteenth day los angeles oakland seattle place went juneteenth introduced san francisco migrant texas wesley johnson civil right movement focused attention african american expanding freedom integrating result observation holiday declined though still celebrated texas s–s juneteenth soon saw revival black people began tying struggle ending slavery atlanta campaigner equality wore juneteenth button poor people campaign washington dc called rev ralph abernathy southern christian leadership conference made june solidarity day poor people campaign subsequent revival large celebration minneapolis milwaukee emerged well across eastern united state houston began holding largescale celebration fort worth texas followed next year around people attended festivity sycamore park fort worth following year milwaukee celebration described drawing attendee texas legislature made occasion state holiday late major celebration juneteenth california wisconsin illinois georgia washington dc prayer breakfast commemorative celebration democratic state representative al edward houston successfully sponsored legislation make juneteenth paid texas state holiday year hosted inaugural al edward prayer breakfast commemorative celebration ground home ashton villa one existing building civil war era popular local myth legend location major general granger order edwards annual celebration includes local historian dressed union general reading general order secondstory balcony home emancipation proclamation also read speech made representative al edward died natural cause april age annual prayer breakfast commemorative celebration continued ashton villa late legislator son jason edward speaking father place official statewide recognition late texas legislature declared juneteenth holiday significance particularly black texas became first state establish juneteenth state holiday bill passed texas legislature officially made state holiday january three u state officially observed day next two decade recognized official observance state except south dakota becoming federal holiday juneteenth pop culture mass medium since holiday widely celebrated among africanamerican community seen increasing mainstream attention u exhibition anacostia community museum part smithsonian institution called juneteenth freedom revisited group community leader gathered christian unity baptist church new orleans work greater national celebration juneteenth expatriate celebrated city abroad paris u military base country sponsor celebration addition private group ralph ellison novel juneteenth published increasing recognition holiday least city celebrated day activist ben haith created juneteenth flag refined illustrator lisa jeanne graf flag first hoisted roxbury heritage state park boston haith star center represents texas extension freedom african american throughout whole nation burst around star represents nova red curve represents horizon standing new era african american red white blue color represent american flag show african american enslaved ancestor american national belief liberty justice citizen holiday gained mainstream awareness outside africanamerican community depiction medium episode tv series atlanta blackish latter featured musical number holiday aloe blacc root fonzworth bentley apple added juneteenth calendar io official u holiday private company adopted juneteenth paid day employee others officially marked day way moment silence several american corporation educational institution including twitter national football league nike began treating juneteenth company holiday providing paid day worker google calendar added juneteenth u holiday calendar also number major university formally recognized juneteenth either day reflection university holiday paid time faculty staff motherdaughter film holiday pageant culture miss juneteenth celebrates africanamerican woman determined stand resourceful mother getting past sexist tendency community keep woman place becoming federal holiday first federal legislation recognize juneteenth independence day introduced u house representative hj re sponsored barbararose collins dmi congress recognized day senate joint resolution house joint resolution u senate passed senate resolution acknowledging lula briggs galloway late president national association juneteenth lineage successfully worked bring national recognition juneteenth independence day continued leadership national juneteenth observance foundation activist continued long process push congress towards official recognition juneteenth organization national juneteenth observance foundation sought congressional designation juneteenth national day observance state recognizing occasion activist opal lee often referred grandmother juneteenth campaigned decade make juneteenth federal holiday leading walk many state promote idea – age led symbolic walk fort worth texas washington dc advocate federal holiday officially made federal holiday june standing beside president joe biden signed bill juneteenth became one five datespecific federal holiday along new year day january independence day july veteran day november christmas day december juneteenth first new federal holiday since martin luther king jr day declared holiday juneteenth also fall within statutory honor america day period last day flag day june independence day july texas first state recognize date enacted law eight state officially recognized juneteenth four year later state recognized holiday half state recognized juneteenth way state district columbia recognized juneteenth although texas adopted holiday paid holiday state employee june governor pennsylvania tom wolf recognized juneteenth holiday state yearlong aftermath murder george floyd occurred may nine state designated juneteenth paid holiday including new york washington virginia massachusetts governor charlie baker issued proclamation day would marked juneteenth independence day followed filing bill house senate make juneteenth state holiday baker comment bill specifically promised grant observance juneteenth greater importance june illinois adopted law changing ceremonial holiday paid state holiday city county also recognized juneteenth proclamation juneteenth formally recognized new york city annual official city holiday public school holiday starting cook county illinois adopted ordinance make juneteenth paid county holiday city county honolulu recognizes annual day honor reflection portland oregon day remembrance action paid holiday city employee north dakota approved recognition juneteenth staterecognized annual holiday april hawaii becoming th state recognize holiday june june south dakota governor kristi noem proclaimed following june juneteenth day year spurning call recognized annually rather february south dakota became last state recognize juneteenth annual state holiday observance law provided following federal law even official may colorado governor jared polis signed bill changing state ceremonial observance state holiday th state holiday colorado state district columbia made juneteenth annualized paid holiday state employee remainder maintaining least ceremonial observance new mexico personnel board declared paid worker holiday although statutory holiday new mexico additional state may observe paid holiday state worker rely decision often governor year instead perpetual statute may may occur next year local government including county municipality also may close office pay worker timeoff table includes state perpetual annual paid holiday law identified congressional research service subsequent source juneteenth federal holiday united state decade activist congress member led many african american proposed legislation advocated built support state national observance campaign president june joe biden publicly celebrated holiday president donald trump campaign reelection added making day national holiday part platinum plan black america spurred opal lee racial justice movement congressional black caucus june senate unanimously passed juneteenth national independence day act establishing juneteenth federal holiday passed house representative – vote june president joe biden signed bill pub ltooltip public law united state – text pdf june making juneteenth eleventh american federal holiday first obtain legal observance federal holiday since martin luther king jr day designated according bill federal government employee get take day every year june date fall saturday sunday get friday monday closest saturday sunday date fall barr alwyn black texan history african american texas – university oklahoma press isbn blanck emily galveston san francisco bay juneteenth fillmore district – western historical quarterly – galveston san francisco bay juneteenth fillmore district – cromartie j vern freedom came different time comparative analysis emancipation day juneteenth celebration naaas conference proceeding national association african american study online donovan anne karen de bres food freedom juneteenth culinary tourist attraction tourism review international – link gordonreed annette juneteenth new york liveright publishing corporation isbn oclc guzzio tracie church juneteenth samuel wilford ed encyclopedia africanamerican literature fact file hume noah arceneaux janice public memory cultural legacy press coverage juneteenth revival journalism history – doi scid jaynes gerald david juneteenth encyclopedia african american society vol sage publication pp – isbn knight gladys l juneteenth encyclopedia african american popular culture greenwood pp – oclc mustakeem sowandé juneteenth rodriguez junius ed encyclopedia emancipation abolition transatlantic world routledge taylor charles juneteenth celebration freedom open hand pub llc isbn turner e h juneteenth evolution emancipation celebration european contribution american study – wiggins jr william h closed town man reflection civic political dimension juneteenth celebration study festivity ritual ed victor turner – wilson charles r new encyclopedia southern culture volume myth manner memory university north carolina press isbn jstor wilson wynn linda juneteenth carney smith jessica ed freedom fact first year african american civil right experience credo reference cotham edward jr juneteenth story behind celebration state house press isbn jennifer schuessler liberation death sentence new york time june juneteenth fact sheet congressional research service updated july juneteenth world wide celebration website th anniversary celebration juneteenth historical marker juneteenth historical marker strand galveston tx holiday united state office personal management celebrating freedom juneteenth emancipation day commemoration richmond va social welfare history project virginia commonwealth university library