Celebrates the liberation
of black American slaves in Texas on June 19, 1865
On June
19, 1865, the Union General Gordon Granger rode into Galveston, Tex., to inform
inhabitants of the Civil War's end two months earlier. Two and a half years
after Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation. It is said that Granger read the contents of
the General Order Number 3 stating: 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 personal rights and
rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection
heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired labor.
The freedmen are advised to remain quietly at their present homes and work for
wages. They are informed that they will not be allowed to collect at military
posts and that they will not be supported in idleness either there or
elsewhere.
June
19th—which was quickly shortened to "Juneteenth" among celebrants—has
become the African-American addendum to our national Independence Day, for, as
Juneteenth jubilees remind us, the Emancipation Proclamation did not bring
about emancipation, and the prevailing portrayal of Independence Day ignores
the ignominious incidence of slavery entirely.
The state of
Texas is widely considered the first U.S. state to begin Juneteenth
celebrations with informal observances taking place for over a century; it has
been an official state holiday since 1980. It is considered a "partial
staffing holiday", meaning that state offices do not close, but some
employees will be using a floating holiday to take the day off. Schools are not
closed, but most public schools in Texas are already into summer vacation by
June 19th. Its observance has spread to many other states, with a few
celebrations even taking place in other countries.
As of June
2011, 39 states and the District of Columbia have recognized Juneteenth as
either a state holiday or state holiday observance; these are Alaska, Arizona,
Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho,
Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts,
Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New
York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas,
Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
3 comments:
A belated Happy Juneteenth to you Freckles...
I'm impressed Freckles, very nice post.
Hey lady! I hope all is well!
Post a Comment