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.
Later
attempts to explain this two and a half year delay in the
receipt of this important news have yielded several versions
that have been handed down through the years. Often told is the
story of a messenger who was murdered on his way to Texas with
the news of freedom. Another, is that the news was deliberately
withheld by the enslavers to maintain the labor force on the
plantations. And still another, is that federal troops actually
waited for the slave owners to reap the benefits of one last
cotton harvest before going to Texas to enforce the Emancipation
Proclamation. All or none of them could be true. For whatever
the reason, conditions in Texas remained status quo well beyond
what was statutory.
General Order Number 3
One of
General Granger’s first orders of business was to read to the
people of Texas, General Order Number 3 which began most
significantly with:
"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."
The
reactions to this profound news ranged from pure shock to
immediate jubilation. While many lingered to learn of this new
employer to employee relationship, many left before these offers
were completely off the lips of their former 'masters' -
attesting to the varying conditions on the plantations and the
realization of freedom. Even with nowhere to go, many felt that
leaving the plantation would be their first grasp of freedom.
North was a logical destination and for many it represented true
freedom, while the desire to reach family members in neighboring
states drove the some into Louisiana, Arkansas and Oklahoma.
Settling into these new areas as free men and women brought on
new realities and the challenges of establishing a
heretofore non-existent status for black people in America. Recounting
the memories of that great day in June of 1865 and its
festivities would serve as motivation as well as a release from
the growing pressures encountered in their new territory. The
celebration of June 19th was coined "Juneteenth" and
grew with more participation from descendants. The Juneteenth
celebration was a time for reassuring each other, for praying
and for gathering remaining family members. Juneteenth continued
to be highly revered in Texas decades later, with many former
slaves and descendants making an annual pilgrimage back to
Galveston on this date.
Juneteenth Festivities and Food
A range of
activities were provided to entertain the masses, many of which
continue in tradition today. Rodeos, fishing, barbecuing and
baseball are just a few of the typical Juneteenth activities you
may witness today. Juneteenth almost always focused on education
and self improvement. Thus often guest speakers are brought in
and the elders are called upon to recount the events of the
past. Prayer services were also a major part of these
celebrations.
Certain
foods became popular and subsequently synonymous with Juneteenth
celebrations such as strawberry soda-pop. More traditional and
just as popular was the barbecuing, through which Juneteenth
participants could share in the spirit and aromas that their
ancestors - the newly emancipated African Americans, would have
experienced during their ceremonies. Hence, the barbecue pit is
often established as the center of attention at Juneteenth
celebrations.
Food was
abundant because everyone prepared a special dish.
Meats such as lamb, pork and beef which not available everyday
were brought on this special occasion. A true Juneteenth
celebrations left visitors well satisfied and with enough
conversation to last until the next.
Dress was
also an important element in early Juneteenth customs and is
often still taken seriously, particularly by the direct
descendants who can make the connection to this tradition's
roots. During slavery there were laws on the books in many areas
that prohibited or limited the dressing of the enslaved. During
the initial days of the emancipation celebrations, there are
accounts of former slaves tossing their ragged garments into
the creeks and rivers to adorn clothing taken from the
plantations belonging to their former 'masters'.
Juneteenth and Society
In the early
years, little interest existed outside the African American
community in participation in the celebrations. In some cases,
there was outwardly exhibited resistance by barring the use of
public property for the festivities. Most of the festivities
found themselves out in rural areas around rivers and creeks
that could provide for additional activities such as fishing,
horseback riding and barbecues. Often the church grounds was the
site for such activities. Eventually, as African Americans
became land owners, land was donated and dedicated for these
festivities. One of the earliest documented land purchases in
the name of Juneteenth was organized by Rev. Jack Yates. This
fund-raising effort yielded $1000 and the purchase of
Emancipation Park in Houston, Texas. In Mexia, the local
Juneteenth organization purchased Booker T. Washington Park,
which had become the Juneteenth celebration site in 1898. There
are accounts of Juneteenth activities being interrupted and
halted by white landowners demanding that their laborers return
to work. However, it seems most allowed their workers the day
off and some even made donations of food and money. For decades
these annual celebrations flourished, growing continuously with
each passing year. In Booker T. Washington Park, as many as
20,000 African Americans once flowed through during the course
of a week, making the celebration one of the state’s largest.
Juneteenth Celebrations Decline
Economic and
cultural forces provided for a decline in Juneteenth activities
and participants beginning in the early 1900’s. Classroom and
textbook education in lieu of traditional home and family-taught
practices stifled the interest of the youth due to less emphasis
and detail on the activities of former slaves. Classroom text
books proclaimed Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation of January
1, 1863 as the date signaling the ending of slavery - and little
or nothing on the impact of General Granger’s arrival on June 19th.
The
Depression forced many people off the farms and into the cities
to find work. In these urban environments, employers were less
eager to grant leaves to celebrate this date. Thus, unless June
19th fell on a weekend or holiday, there were very
few participants available. July 4th was the already
established Independence holiday and a rise in patriotism
steered more toward this celebration.
Resurgence
The Civil
Rights movement of the 50’s and 60’s yielded both positive and
negative results for the Juneteenth celebrations. While it
pulled many of the African American youth away and into the
struggle for racial equality, many linked these struggles to the
historical struggles of their ancestors. This was evidenced by
student demonstrators involved in the Atlanta civil rights
campaign in the early 1960’s, whom wore Juneteenth freedom
buttons. Again in 1968, Juneteenth received another strong
resurgence through Poor Peoples March to Washington D.C.. Rev.
Ralph Abernathy’s call for people of all races, creeds, economic
levels and professions to come to Washington to show support for
the poor. Many of these attendees returned home and initiated
Juneteenth celebrations in areas previously absent of such
activity. In fact, two of the largest Juneteenth celebrations
founded after this March are now held in Milwaukee and
Minneapolis.
Texas Blazes the Trail
On January
1, 1980, Juneteenth became an official state holiday through the
efforts of Al Edwards, an African American state legislator. The
successful passage of this bill marked Juneteenth as the first
emancipation celebration granted official state recognition.
Representative Edwards has since actively sought to spread the
observance of Juneteenth all across America.
Juneteenth In Modern Times
Throughout
the 80’s and 90’s Juneteenth has continued to enjoy a growing
and healthy interest from communities and organizations
throughout the country. Institutions such as the Smithsonian,
the Henry Ford Museum and others have begun sponsoring
Juneteenth-centered activities. In recent years, a number of
National Juneteenth Organizations have arisen to take their
place along side older organizations - all with the mission to
promote and cultivate knowledge and appreciation of African
American history and culture.
Juneteenth
today, celebrates African American freedom while encouraging
self-development and respect for all cultures. As it takes on a
more national and even global perspective, the events of 1865 in
Texas are not forgotten, for all of the roots tie back to this
fertile soil from which a national day of pride is growing. The
future of Juneteenth looks bright as the number of cities and
states come on board and form local committees and organizations
to coordinate the activities. Communication and networking is
vital. A sharing of lessons learned throughout all organizations
will help expedite this growth while minimizing waste and risks.
The Juneteenth.com website can play a vital role in these
efforts. Thus, it is important to communicate its existence to
one and all. Contact your local Juneteenth organizer if you do
not see them listed within and let them know about this site.
There is no cost for organizations to post their Juneteenth
festivities at the website.
History of Juneteenth ©Juneteenth.com 1996-2005
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