The History of a Holiday : Juneteenth

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African Americans who were held in slavery in Texas were notified they were free on June 19, 1865. People in all parts of the country continue to commemorate the day, which is now a nationwide holiday, after 150 years.


The History of a Holiday : Juneteenth
Houston dancer Prescylia Mae performs at the dedication ceremony for the massive mural "Absolute Equality" in downtown Galveston, Texas, in 2021.Credit...Associated Press/Stuart Villanueva/The Galveston County Daily News


How did Juneteenth get started?

Gordon Granger, a Union commander, came at Galveston, Texas, on June 19, 1865, almost two months after Confederate leader Robert E. Lee surrendered at Appomattox, Va., to notify enslaved African Americans of their freedom and that the Civil War had ended. General Granger's proclamation placed into force President Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation, which had been issued almost two and a half years previously, on January 1, 1863.


It is also known as "Juneteenth Independence Day," "Freedom Day," or "Emancipation Day."

How is it commemorated?

According to Juneteenth.com, early festivities included prayer and family reunions, and eventually featured annual pilgrimages to Galveston by former enslaved individuals and their families.

In 1872, a group of African American clergy and businesspeople in Houston acquired ten acres of property and established Emancipation Park to host the city's annual Juneteenth celebration.

Today, while some festivities take place in backyards with families, with food as a key component, certain places, such as Atlanta and Washington, organize larger events, including parades and festivals involving citizens, local businesses, and more.

While the coronavirus epidemic dampened celebrations in 2020 and 2021, other cities increased their preparations last year and aim to have larger events this year.


According to Douglas Matthews,

 who has helped arrange Juneteenth celebrations for more than two decades, Galveston has remained a bustling destination for Juneteenth events over the years.

Galveston will commemorate the event with a dinner, a scholarship ball, and a festival in 2023, following the dedication of a 5,000-square-foot mural in 2021. Atlanta organisers plan a parade and music festival at Centennial Olympic Park, and similar events are planned in Brooklyn, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and Tulsa, Oklahoma.


What is the significance of Juneteenth?

Following the death of George Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man, in the custody of Minneapolis police in May 2020, hundreds of people around the country took to the streets in protest. Mr. Floyd's name, along with Ms. Taylor's, Mr. Arbery's, and David McAtee's, became a rallying cry for change throughout the country, successfully re-energizing the Black Lives Matter movement.

That shift occurred in waves. Police in Minneapolis have been prohibited from using chokeholds and strangleholds, and officers are required to intervene and report any use of unauthorized force.

Democrats in Congress introduced broad measures to combat police misbehavior and racial prejudice. The bill was the most comprehensive policing intervention introduced by politicians in recent memory.

Companies across the board expressed support for the Black Lives Matter movement, and employees who insulted Mr. Floyd's killing or made racist statements were either suspended or dismissed.

 #History  #Holiday  #Juneteenth




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