From http://www.junenteenth.com/:
Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration commemorating the ending of slavery in the United States. Dating back to 1865, it was on June 19th that the Union soldiers, led by Major General Gordon Granger, landed at Galveston, Texas with news that the war had ended and that the enslaved were now free. Note that this was two and a half years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation - which had become official January 1, 1863. The Emancipation Proclamation had little impact on the Texans due to the minimal number of Union troops to enforce the new Executive order. However, with the surrender of General Lee in April of 1865, and the arrival of General Granger’s regiment, the forces were finally strong enough to influence and overcome the resistance.
One of the first things Gen. Granger did was read have the general orders read to the townspeople. General Order #3, which concerns us today, started this way:
"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 free laborer."
Americans of African descent view this day as one of remembrance and a celebration of attaining their freedom. But the rest of America should celebrate too, for this is the day that a monstrous practice was ended -- though it would be another hundred years before the step taken on this day would lead to blacks in this country being treated as anything more than second class citizens.
We seem to have made some progress since then. Let us now work to ensure that these attainments come to and remain within the easy grasp of every American.
Happy Juneteenth to readers of this blog, and really, to any who find reason to celebrate it.
Comments