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Juneteenth

Juneteenth
Juneteenth is an annual holiday which occurs on June 19th and is observed in the United States. It is

one of the oldest celebrations of the abolition of slavery in the world. While this holiday isn’t an o cial
government holiday in any U.S. state, it is recognized as a ceremonial observance in roughly half of the
U.S. states and is observed as a “partial sta ng holiday” in Texas – which means that government o ces
do not close on this day but some employees are allowed to take the day o by using a oating holiday.

History of Juneteenth
The history of Juneteenth can be traced all the way back to June 19th of 1865. This is when the
Union Army, led by Major General Gordon Granger, arrived in Galveston, Texas with news that the
Civil War had ended and that all former slaves were now free. Although President Lincoln had issued
the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, slavery hadn’t ended in Texas because there
weren’t enough Union soldiers in the state to enforce the new order. However, the sound defeat of
General Lee in April of that year and the arrival of the Union soldiers under Granger strengthened the
forces su ciently enough to enforce the Emancipation Proclamation.

While the original reason for why Texas was over two years behind in freeing slaves is lost to the fog of time.
However, there are a few stories that have been passed down through the generations to explain the delay.
The rst story tells of a messenger who was on his way to Texas to deliver the order of freedom when he
was captured and murdered. Another possibility is that the plantations ignored the order so they could
maintain their free working force.

On June 19th, 1865, Major General Granger read General Order Number 3 to the people of Texas.
This order stated: “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 free laborer.” Reaction to this order by the former slaves was as
varied as you could imagine. Some of the slaves stayed on under their former masters in a working
capacity, while others left immediately after the order was read. Some of the headed North and others
head to other parts of the South looking for family members they may have been separated. As more
and more families united, they remembered fondly the day they acquired their freedom and began to
celebrate it as Juneteenth. The day gained further prominence during the Civil Rights Movement.

Juneteenth Customs & Celebrations
Juneteenth is celebrated in a variety of di erent ways. One of the most traditional ways to celebrate
it is by having a BBQ. Meats such as pork and beef are often cooked up and sometimes it is served
with strawberry pop. People also sh and engage in sports such as baseball and attend rodeos.
At larger events, guest speakers will be brought in to give inspirational speeches and elders will tell
stories of their past experiences. At most events, prayers are also a major component of this celebration.

Publication Credit: HolidaysCalendar.com.. All Rights Reserved.