On June 19th, 1865, Galveston Bay, Texas was no doubt feeling the humid summer heat common for the area. It was a Monday, which meant work, but for the hundreds of thousands of enslaved Black people, it was exploitation. Everything changed when Union troops rode into town with an important announcement. All slaves were now free by order of President Abraham Lincoln. June 19th, also known as Juneteenth, is now a national holiday celebrated by millions of Americans. In this article, we’ll explore the meaning of the holiday, its history, and meaningful ways to celebrate.
What’s the meaning of Juneteenth?
“Juneteenth” is a combination of the words “June” and “Nineteenth.” June 19th (1865) is the day that slavery was officially abolished in the last Confederate-controlled community in the US. The day is also called “Freedom Day” or “Emancipation Day.” For many people, it’s as important – if not more important – than the Fourth of July. The Fourth of July celebrates America’s independence from Great Britain, but slavery was not only legal, it was prevalent. Around ⅕ of the population at the time were enslaved people. ⅓ of the men who signed the Declaration of Independence were slave owners. When Thomas Jefferson wrote that “all men are created equal,” he set up a contradictory and hypocritical framework of freedom and equality.
In 1852, Frederick Douglass, a Black abolitionist, writer, and orator, reflected on this dissonance in “What, to the Slave, is the Fourth of July?”, a speech he gave on the 76th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. “I am not included within the pale of this glorious anniversary,” Douglass wrote. “Your high independence only reveals the immeasurable distance between us.” Once slavery was abolished, June 19th became a holiday where true freedom could be celebrated.
What’s the history of Juneteenth?
There are three stages to the story of Juneteenth: the Emancipation Proclamation, General Order No.3, and the migration of Black people through the US.
President Lincoln releases the Emancipation Proclamation
The story of Juneteenth begins with the Emancipation Proclamation. On September 22, 1863, two years after the Civil War broke out, the Emancipation Proclamation went into effect. Issued by President Abraham Lincoln, this document declared that enslaved people were now free. While the Emancipation Proclamation was important, it didn’t have a huge effect right away. First, the Union would need to defeat the South. Also, the document only ended slavery in the states that were part of the Confederacy; there were border states where it didn’t apply. That said, the Emancipation Proclamation did allow Black men to join the Union Army and Navy. By the war’s end, almost 200,000 Black men had fought for the freedom of enslaved people. As long as Union soldiers enforced the Proclamation, enslaved people were granted freedom.
Slavery ends in Texas
On April 9, 1865, General Robert E. Lee surrendered. The Union had officially won the war, but Confederate holdouts remained. Many soldiers fled to avoid the Union army, while scattered fighting continued in some places for years. On June 19th, 1865, 2,000 Union troops reached Galveston Bay, Texas. General Gordon Granger’s order reads: “The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free.” In the last Confederate holdout over 250,000 enslaved people were now free.
Juneteenth goes national
Local celebrations began immediately. The year after the order, Black communities in Texas organized festivals and picnics on June 19th. According to the Texas State Library and Archives Commission, early celebrations included prayer meetings, storytelling, the reading of the Emancipation Proclamation, games, dances, food, and red soda water. As families moved to neighboring states, they took their celebrations with them. During the Great Migration, a period from 1910-1970, six million Black people moved from the South to the North, the Midwest, and the Western states. This helped spread the holiday to the rest of the country.
How did Juneteenth become a national holiday?
Through the Civil Rights era (1950s-1960s), Juneteenth got more attention as Black people and their allies worked for freedom and equality. Texas continued to celebrate, and in 1980, the holiday was recognized by the state for the first time. On a national level, public awareness was limited outside of Black communities until 2020, when millions protested the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and other victims of police brutality. As people learned more about Black history and the legacy of slavery, June 19th gained strength. On June 17, 2021, the national Congress passed a bill that made Juneteenth a federal holiday.
Why did it take so long for the US to officially recognize the abolishment of slavery? Opal Lee spent her life asking the same question and advocating for Juneteenth. The date was personal for her; she watched racist rioters burn down her house on June 19th, 1939. After a career as an educator, Lee worked as a leader in community causes in Fort Worth, where she organized the city’s Juneteenth celebration and co-founded a historical society. From 2016-2017, at age 89, she walked from Fort Worth to Washington D.C. to gain Congressional support for Juneteenth. Every year, she walks 2.5 miles in recognition of the 2.5 years it took for enslaved people in Galveston Bay to hear about the Emancipation Proclamation. Her activism gained national attention. When President Biden signed the bill making Juneteenth a national holiday, Lee was there.
How can I celebrate Juneteenth in a meaningful way?
While Juneteenth has only been a national holiday since 2021, many communities have celebrated with family gatherings, food, music, and more since 1866. What are some meaningful ways to celebrate the end of slavery? Here are five ideas:
#1. Learn more about the story of Juneteenth
One Gallup poll from 2021 found that 60% of Americans knew “nothing at all” or “a little bit” about Juneteenth. While that percentage has likely increased since June 19th became a national holiday, many people still don’t know the backstory of this milestone date. If you want to celebrate meaningfully, start by learning more about the event, researching stories about its history, and talking about it with the young people in your life. Spend some time thinking about the holiday’s deeper meaning, too. In a blog for the National Museum of African American History & Culture, curator Angela Tate writes about how Juneteenth invites reflection on what it means to be free when freedom is always challenging.
#2. Attend a local celebration
Many areas hold Juneteenth celebrations, talks, concerts, and more on June 19th itself or on the surrounding days. See if you can find an Opal’s Walk for Freedom event in your area or organize your own. Local celebrations are a great opportunity to connect with your community and support the values the holiday represents, such as freedom and equality. You’ll also likely meet grassroots groups, social justice activists, and others who do events and activism throughout the year. If you’ve been feeling hopeless about the United States and the increase of threats to freedom, democracy, and human rights, connecting to a community that cares about justice will encourage and motivate you.
#3. Support Black-owned businesses
In the United States, Black-owned businesses face more obstacles than businesses owned by white people. According to the National Urban League, Black-owned businesses are more likely to get cut out from traditional financing options, more likely to struggle to get venture capital investments, and less likely to get valuable government contracts. Supporting Black-owned businesses is a great way to fight this inequality. That can mean buying products from a business or entrepreneur, promoting the business to your community, joining as an investor, and advocating for policies and laws that end discrimination.
#4. Be aware of cheap commercialization
Just one year after Juneteenth became a national holiday, Walmart released a “Celebration Edition” ice cream. The backlash was immediate. People accused the corporation of misappropriating Black culture, stepping over Black-owned ice cream companies, and trying to extract cash from a serious holiday. Walmart ended up issuing a public apology. This incident highlights a concern many have about the commercialization of Juneteenth. As author Victoria Mackey writes, “The price paid for the end of slavery in this country should never be trivialized by cheap trinkets.” Whenever June 19th comes around, you’ll find store sales, limited edition products, and more vying for your attention and cash. Think about who is selling these items, whether they care about the meaning of Juneteenth, and what else they’re doing to advance racial justice in this country.
#5. Remember the true spirit of Juneteenth all year
Chattel slavery may have ended with the Civil War, but the United States still hasn’t achieved full equality and freedom. While June 19th happens only once a year, equality, freedom, and the legacy of slavery are worth thinking about at any time of year. Juneteenth is about celebrating how far the US has come while also committing to a freer, more equal future. Remembering these values looks different for everyone, but can include advocating for voting rights, gender equality, education access, and an end to racist policing and discriminatory practices in the justice system.