❝My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.❞ - Maya Angelou
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On the 22nd of September, 1862, during the time of the American Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation which decreed that all enslaved persons within the Confederate States of America were freed. The Proclamation came into effect on the 1st of January, 1863.
While slavery had been abolished offically, some states required the presence of Union troops to enforce the Proclamation. Texas was one such state which, due to its remote location, had a low presence of Union troops and was slow to comply with the law. In fact, many slaveholders had moved to Texas due to its remoteness.
It was on the 19th of June, 1865 that Union Major General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas to enforce the Proclamation. They marched through the streets of Galveston, reading General Order No. 3 which transmitted the news of the Emancipation Proclamation to Texas.
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A year after the Proclamation was enforced in Texas, the formerly enslaved people celebrated the first of what later became Jubilee Day. The early years saw a heightened interest in political activity as people were made aware of voting rights and given specific instructions regarding voting.
While freedom had been proclaimed in the state, black people still faced resistance as state-sponsored segregation laws still took place and black people were barred from using parks and other recreation areas to hold their celebrations. That year, in 1967, black leaders of Texas gathered the funds to buy 10 acres of land to celebrate Juneteenth. The park is known as Houston's Emancipation Park today.
By the 1890s, Jubilee Day had come to be known as Juneteenth.
By the early 20th century, Juneteenth celebrations began to decline. This could be attributed to several reasons such as the disenfranchisement of black people by former confederate states who excluded them from politics. Several black people were also moving up in the social hierarchy and were ashamed of their past, according to Gladys L. Knight. It was simply hard for some to make it back to Texas for the celebration due to work, school, or inability to travel the distance from wherever they had migrated to.
During the 1950s and 60s, the Civil Rights Movement was more focused on expanding freedom and integration. However, the popularity of the day rose and fell over the years as black people associated their struggles and triumphs with their emancipation and Juneteenth was a symbol of that emancipation.
Juneteenth is considered as the longest running African-American holiday and has been dubbed as America's second freedom.
Early celebrations were held in large open spaces, churches, or near water because black people were prohibited from most places. People wore their best clothes and there were activities such as fishing, baseball, and rodeos. African-Americans also made the pilgrimage to Galveston for the celebrations.
Today, the celebrations are mostly local with remembrance being a big part of the holiday. The Emancipation Proclamation is read aloud, traditional songs such as 'Swing Low, Sweet Chariot' and 'Lift Every Voice and Sing' are sung. Passages of literary works from black authors such as Ralph Ellison and Maya Angelou are read. There are picnics, rodeos, street fairs, cookouts, family reunions, park hangouts, historical reenactments, blues festivals, and Miss Juneteenth contests.
Modern times have also seen an emphasis on education of the youth on African-American history. With lectures and cultural exhibits focusing on African-American heritage as well as community gatherings where leaders tell stories about the past to instill the idea of heritage and pride in black youth.
