Special thanks to my friend Rachael Washington for writing this. She is Caucasian and married to an African American man. She wrote this on her Facebook page and I asked if I could publish it on MySaline. I’m glad she agreed.
-Shelli
How many know what Juneteeth is?
The Emancipation Proclamation was signed on Jan. 1, 1863, by Abraham Lincoln. However, it took more than two years before African Americans in Texas would learn that slavery had been abolished.
On June 19, 1865, Texas slaves finally learned that slavery had been abolished when Union soldiers arrived on the shores of Galveston, TX. African Americans in Texas immediately began celebrating in praise, song, feast, and dance – celebrating actual Emancipation Day. A year later, the official first commemoration celebration took place in Texas. This is known to many African Americans in the U.S. as Juneteenth “Independence Day.”
Today, many people know that people celebrate with concerts and parties but have absolutely no idea why! This is why.
Isn’t it amazing how many times a law is passed protecting or giving someone rights in our country, but it is so easily overlooked or ignored? For over 2 1/2 years… African Americans slaves in Texas had absolutely no idea they were free by U.S. law.
It’s so easy as a white person living in America to read history books in school and think or accept that when Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation slaves were freed and that everything was better.
It’s also easy to read that when Martin Luther King, Jr. marched, he was met peacefully with his peaceful protests and blacks were by law granted civil rights and those civil rights were honored.
This is a reminder to all my friends that just because a law is passed, it does not mean it guarantees that states or individuals will abide by or honor those laws protecting groups of people.
Our country celebrates Independence Day on July 4 (such a proud day for our country), but please remember to many in our country that was not a true Independence Day at all because their ancestors were not free but were in chains. Now on June 19th and together… Let Freedom Ring!!
Texas was the first state to recognize Juneteenth as an official state Holiday in 1980. Arkansas accepted Juneteenth as a state holiday in 2005.
Visit this website to learn more about Juneteenth and its history: