June 19 – Juneteenth, Freedom Day, Jubilee Day and Liberation Day: A holiday celebrating and reflecting on freedom, resilience and hope for the Black community.
In 1937 the memory of Juneteenth by Felix Haywood, a man formerly enslaved in Texas, was recorded by the Federal Writers Project.
Mr. Haywood recalled: “Solders, all of a sudden, was everywhere – comin’ in bunches, crossin’ and walkin’ and ridin’. Everyone was a-singin’. We was all walkin’ on golden clouds. Hallelujah! …. Everybody went wild. We all felt like heroes and nobody had made us that way but ourselves. We was free. Just like that, we was free.”
More than 200 years after the first enslaved Africans arrived on the shores of the 13 colonies, the presidential proclamation and executive order announcing the end of slavery in rebelling states was initially made in September 1862, with plans to take effect on January 1, 1863. On January 1, 1863 President Lincoln issued the final Emancipation Proclamation. He listed the ten states still in rebellion (excluding parts of states under Union control) and stated: “I do order and declare that all persons held as slaves within said designated States, and parts of States, are, and henceforward shall be free....” Thus, freeing all persons held in bondage in the rebelling states, of which Texas was a part.
Implementation of the Emancipation Proclamation did not occur in most places until the Union army arrived to enforce the proclamation. Many enslavers moved their “property” (enslaved persons) to Texas because it was remote and they could avoid freeing their slaves. However, those persons were indeed liberated on June 19, 1865 when General Gordon Granger of the Union Army, along with the Colored Regiment, reached Galveston, TX and read General Order #3 aloud, informing everyone that enslaved persons were now free – affecting 250,000 persons.
As the announcement was made and enslaved persons saw the free Black men of the colored regiment, people understood – they were no longer enslaved they were free!
They sung a new Negro Spiritual in Celebration:
Slavery chain don broke at last!
Broke at last, broke at last!
Slavery chain don broke at last!
Gonna praise God ‘til I die!
Slavery Chain Done Broke at Last - YouTube
Juneteenth celebrates one of many fundamental acts that created and ensured freedom for African Americans. Learn more about the day, it’s history, ways to celebrate and actions you can take to help heal our nation below.
