By Sarah Scamperlé, Marketing Assistant
Juneteenth is the oldest internationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. On June 19th, 1865 – two and a half years after President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation – 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. Prior to this, the Emancipation Proclamation had had little impact on Texans, due to the limited number of Union troops there were to enforce the new Executive Order. However, with General Lee’s surrender in April of 1865 and the arrival of General Granger’s regiment, the forces were finally strong enough to overcome the resistance. To this day, the two and a half year delay in the delivery of this important news to Texas is not entirely accounted for. The most commonly given explanation is that the original messenger was murdered on his way to Texas with this news of freedom. Another version is that the news was deliberately withheld by enslavers to maintain the labor force on their plantations. Yet another story is that federal troops waited for the slave owners to reap the benefits of one last cotton harvest before going to Texas to enforce the Emancipation Proclamation. What we do know is that there was much question at the time of President Lincoln’s authority over rebellious states and it was evident that conditions in Texas remained status quo well beyond what was statutory.
One of General Granger’s first orders of business was to read General Order Number 3 to the people of Texas:
“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 hired laborer.”
Reactions ranged from shock to jubilation and, while many African Americans lingered to explore new employer to employee relationships, others left their former “masters” post haste. Even with nowhere to go, many felt that leaving the plantations would be their first true grasp of freedom. This mix of reactions attests to the varying conditions on plantations at the time. The North represented freedom and was a logical destination, but the desire to reconnect with family members in neighboring states such as Louisiana, Arkansas and Oklahoma drove others to settle in these regions as free men and women instead. Settling in these areas brought on the challenge of establishing a heretofore non-existent status for black people in America. The celebration of June 19th was coined “Juneteenth” and grew with more participation from descendents. 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.
In early years, there was little interest outside of the African American community in participation in Juneteenth celebrations. In some cases, there was even outward resistance to its observance by barring the use of public spaces for these festivities. Most early celebrations were located in rural areas around rivers and creeks that could provide for additional activities such as fishing, swimming, horseback riding and barbecues. Often, church grounds were the site for such activities. Eventually, as more African Americans became landowners, land was donated and dedicated for these festivities. One of the earliest documented land purchases in the name of Juneteenth was organized by Reverend Jack Yates. This fundraising effort yielded $1000 and made possible the purchase of Emancipation Park in Houston, Texas in 1872. In 1938, the local Juneteenth organization from Mexia, TX, purchased the Booker T. Washington Park in Virginia, which had been a Juneteenth celebration site since 1898. Although observance had started to gain some traction in the late 1800s, there was a decline in activities and participation in the early 1900s due to The Great Depression. Classroom textbooks proclaimed Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation of January 1, 1863 as the date signaling the ending of slavery – and mentioned little or nothing of 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 already the established Independence holiday and a rise in patriotism steered more toward this celebration.
The Civil Rights Movement of the 50s and 60s and the Poor People’s March to Washington D.C in 1968 both resulted in resurgences of Juneteenth celebrations. Many attendees of the march returned home and initiated celebrations in areas previously absent from them. In fact, two of the (currently) largest Juneteeth celebrations were founded following the Poor People’s March and are held in Milwaukee and Minneapolis.
On January 1, 1980, Juneteenth became an official state holiday through the efforts of Al Edwards, an African American state legislator from the Texas House of Representatives. The successful passage of this bill marked Juneteenth as the first emancipation celebration granted official state recognition. Edwards has since actively sought to spread the observance of Juneteenth all across America. Texas (1980), Florida (1991) and Oklahoma (1994) were among the first states to commemorate Juneteenth Independence Day as the day that freedom was proclaimed to all slaves in the South. Maine officially commemorated Juneteenth Independence Day in 2011 with Title 1, Section 150-H, which states that the Governor shall issue an annual proclamation designating the 3rd Saturday in June as Juneteenth Independence Day.
Today, the celebration of Juneteenth is experiencing a phenomenal growth rate throughout the country and internationally. Institutions such as the Smithsonian, the Henry Ford Museum and others have begun sponsoring Juneteenth-centered activities. In recent years, a number of local and national Juneteenth organizations have arisen to take their place alongside older organizations – all with the mission to promote and cultivate knowledge and appreciation of African American history and culture. On June 17th, 2021, President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law establishing Juneteenth as a federal holiday.
A wide range of activities are associated with the celebration of Juneteenth, including public readings of the Emancipation Proclamation, singing traditional songs, music, rodeos, parades, barbequing, street fairs, family reunions, picnics, and more. The day is almost always focused on education and self-improvement and, often, guest speakers are brought in and elders are called upon to recount events of the past. Prayer services were and are also a major part of these celebrations for many. Certain foods have become synonymous with Juneteenth celebrations, as well. According to some traditions, red food and drink symbolize the bloodshed and sacrifices of enslaved ancestors, as well as the joy of liberation, and are central to gatherings— such as red velvet cake, watermelon, hibiscus tea and strawberry soda-pop. Traditionally, food is abundant at Juneteenth celebrations and the barbeque pit is often at the center of the gathering. Meat dishes starring lamb, pork, and beef are commonly prepared and a true Juneteenth gala leaves visitors well-satisfied and with enough conversation to last until the next.
Juneteenth is a celebration of freedom, resilience, and the ongoing fight for equality. It is a day, a week, and in some areas, an entire month, marked by celebration. It is a time for reflection and rejoicing, and a time for assessment, self-improvement and for planning the future. Cities and states all across the U.S. and beyond are realizing the wonderful opportunity we have to come together in appreciation, reconciliation, and commemoration on this day. People of all races, nationalities and religions are joining hands to truthfully acknowledge a period in our history that shaped and continues to influence our society today. Many major companies now even recognize Juneteenth as a paid holiday for their employees, including Nike, Starbucks, Target, Google, Coca-Cola, Verizon, and Best Buy. Sensitized to the conditions and experiences of others, only then can we make significant and lasting improvements in our society. During Juneteenth we acknowledge the African American spirit and pay tribute to the roles and contributions which have enriched our society. The Blue Hill Co-op invites you to join us in the celebration of this momentous day in American history! If you happen to be at the store on Juneteenth, please help yourself to a complementary button and try some of the delicious Soul Food dishes in the Hot Bar. This week, the cafe also has a special Cherry Limeade Smoothie in celebration of Juneteenth. 2% of the Co-op’s daily sales from June 19 will be donated to The Greater Bangor Area Branch NAACP.
Sources:
Smithsonian Magazine “Juneteenth: Our Other Independence Day”
This blog post includes pictures of some of the earliest Juneteenth celebrations from 1900.
Library of Congress “The Birth of Juneteenth; Voices of the Enslaved”
This blog includes links to several interviews with former slaves about their memories of gaining freedom.
A longer narrative about the history of Juneteenth with pictures of Major General George Granger and the house from which he read General Order Number 3.
National Archives and Records Administration: The Emancipation Proclamation
The original handwritten document issued by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863.
Juneteenth.com
