Happy Juneteenth!

Juneteenth, celebrated on June 19th, commemorates the day in 1865 when enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, were finally informed of their freedom—more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863.

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📜 Key Moments in Juneteenth History:

1. Emancipation Proclamation (1863)

• Issued by President Lincoln during the Civil War.

• Declared enslaved people in Confederate states free.

• In practice, freedom did not reach many enslaved people until Union forces advanced.

2. June 19, 1865 – Juneteenth

• Union General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas.

• Announced General Order No. 3, declaring:

  “The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free.”

• Marked the true end of slavery for many Black Americans in the deepest parts of the Confederacy.

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🎉 Early Celebrations (Late 1800s)

• Freed African Americans in Texas began annual Juneteenth celebrations as early as 1866.

• Events included picnics, prayer services, music, and parades.

• These gatherings became vital for community solidarity and remembrance.

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📉 Decline & Resurgence (1900s)

• During the early 20th century, Juneteenth's visibility waned due to Jim Crow laws, economic hardship, and migration of Black families out of the South.

• The Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s sparked renewed interest in African American history and culture, reviving Juneteenth celebrations across the U.S.

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📅 Modern Recognition

• Texas was the first state to make Juneteenth an official holiday in 1980.

• Over the years, all 50 states and the District of Columbia eventually recognized Juneteenth in some form.

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🇺🇸 Federal Holiday Status

• June 17, 2021 – President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law.

• Juneteenth became the 11th official U.S. federal holiday.

• It is the first new federal holiday since Martin Luther King Jr. Day was established in 1983.

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💡 Today, Juneteenth is:

• A day of reflection, education, and celebration of Black freedom and culture.

• Marked by festivals, historical readings, community service, and cultural exhibitions across the country.