Juneteenth, Why It Matters for All Lives

Unlike the Confederate statues and symbols that are being removed all over the country, June 19, 1865, is a monument for all humanity.

For African Americans, it celebrates the end of chattel slavery in the United States. For other American citizens, it represents a step closer toward the realization of the country’s founding principles: “all men are created equal.”

The Emancipation Proclamation, which declared freedom of all slaves from  “the rebellious” Confederate states, was legally adopted on January 1, 1863. However, it wasn’t until nearly two and a half years later that all slaves gained their freedom.

Even with newspapers and the telegraph being widely used for communication, Texas did not officially become aware of the proclamation until June 19, 1865, two months after the Civil War ended and Union Major-General Gordon Granger and his troops were able to make their way to Galveston, Texas, to publicly announce the General Order No. 3.

The order informed the people of Texas of the proclamation, established equality between former slave owners and slaves in terms of personal and property rights, and reconfigured their relationship as that of employer and employee.

General Order Number 3,” 1896. U.S. Documents Collection. Tsl.Texas.Gov.

1900 – Juneteenth celebration at Eastwoods Park in Austin, Texas

Upon the announcement, celebrations began immediately, and exactly one year later, the portmanteau “Juneteenth” became the African-American 4th of July. Dancing, singing, eating, storytelling, hosting prayer services, and even a reading of the Emancipation Proclamation were among the activities historically done then and can still be enjoyed during celebrations of Juneteenth today.

The day symbolizes freedom, building community, strength and identity. It has served as a day of hope throughout the reconstruction era, the Jim Crow era, the civil rights movement, and especially now, while fighting for justice for George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Rayshard Brooks, and the numerous other African Americans murdered throughout recent years at the hands of the police.

The struggle to establish Juneteenth as a recognized national holiday continues to this day. The first state to recognize it was Texas in 1980, but it did not get much attention from other states until the mid ‘90’s and 2000’s. According to Forbes, there are currently 47 states that recognize the holiday, including the District of Columbia. North Dakota, South Dakota, and Hawaii are the only states that do not recognize it.

Both Gov. Ralph Northam in Virginia and Gov. Andrew Cuomo in New York are making Junteenth an official paid state holiday. Oregon Gov. Kate Brown (D) said she has plans for a bill that would make Junteeth a state holiday in 2021.  GOP Senator John Cornyn from Texas announced he will be introducing legislation that would make Junteenth a federal holiday.

In addition, numerous industry leading companies have announced they will be observing Juneteenth, check out the running list here.