The important US holiday not many people know about: Juneteenth

Happy belated Juneteenth! This little known holiday celebrates the announcement in Texas by Major-Gen. Granger’s statement on 19 June 1865 that slavery had come to an end.

On 20 June 2006, Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee made a statement to Congress about the importance of recognizing and celebrating this holiday. This is the text of her speech:

JUNETEENTH

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee) is recognized for 5 minutes.

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise to acknowledge the World Refugee Day as we keep the flame of hope alive, showing some 20.8 million internally displaced refugees fleeing persecution who are now looking to the world to ask for relief.

As I stand to acknowledge that day, I draw the House’s attention to a day I believe that symbolizes the hopes and dreams of many. Although the occasion of Juneteenth happens to be a holiday that is celebrated by African Americans, it is, in fact, the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. So I say simply that it is symbolic of people who are in need of empowerment.

And, in fact, this celebration took place in this country, and certainly in the State of Texas, over the last 3 days, this past weekend. I participated with my colleagues in different States to celebrate Juneteenth, as well as my constituents, on Saturday and Sunday and Monday.

From its Galveston, Texas, origin in 1865, the observance of June 19 is considered the African American Emancipation Day even as it claimed a time frame in which African Americans were actually denied the knowledge of their freedom. Those in Texas did not hear of the declaration that President Lincoln made until 1865.

Today Juneteenth commemorates, I believe, African American freedom and symbolically freedom around the world. And that is why in the beginning I stood and acknowledged this is World Refugee Day, for refugees are looking for freedom and hope, and they belong to us, and they are placed around the world.

This special day of Juneteenth, however, emphasizes education and achievement. It is a day, a week, and in some areas a month marked with celebrations, guest speakers, picnics, and family gatherings.

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It is a time for reflection and rejoicing. It is a time for assessment, self-improvement and planning for the future. But it is a time for reinvesting, restoring ourselves. It relates to the struggle of freedom. It reinforces the fact that freedom is not easy and it is not free, and as those who stood witness waiting in the State of Texas near the Galveston Bay to find out whether they were free, there are many who still stand waiting for that call of freedom.

The growing popularity of Juneteenth signifies a level of maturity and dignity in America long overdue. In cities across the country, 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. Sensitized the ties to the conditions and experiences much others only then can we make significant and lasting improvements in our society.

The civil rights movement of the fifties and sixties yielded both positive and negative results for the Juneteenth celebrations. While it pulled many of the African American youth away and into the struggle for racial equality, many linked these struggles to the historical struggles of their ancestors. They wanted to be free of the Juneteenth celebration.

This was evidenced as students began to participate in student demonstrations involved in the Atlanta civil rights campaign in the early 1960s, who wore Juneteenth freedom buttons. Again, in 1968, Juneteenth received another strong resurgence through the Poor Peoples March to Washington, D.C. Reverend Ralph David Abernathy called for people of all races, creeds, economic levels and professions to come to Washington to show their support for the poor.

Juneteenth has a way of generating the kind of compassion for the struggle and, of course, a reason for fighting for freedom.

Let me thank Representative Al Edwards, a constituent of mine and a State representative who can be called the father of Juneteenth in the State of Texas, establishing the first State holiday for African Americans, Juneteenth, June 19, here in the State of Texas that we have the opportunity to celebrate.

He has not finished his work, for he continues to promote the Juneteenth Commission, and I am very proud that on Monday morning, we opened and christened the first Juneteenth statute in the State of Texas. This holiday, however, is spreading across the country as a symbol of freedom.

Tomorrow we will have the opportunity, as we have had today, to acknowledge the that people are still struggling for freedom by World Refugee Day, but tomorrow this body will have the opportunity to reauthorize the Voting Rights Act of 1965, now in 2006, now named the Fannie Lou Hammer, Rosa Parks, and Coretta Scott King Voting Rights Act.

I ask my colleagues in the name of Juneteenth and many other symbolic holidays that establish and create freedom, that we should stand tall for the reauthorization of the Voting Rights Act. It should not be a political struggle or a power struggle. It should be the right struggle, the right thing to do.

And for those who intend to offer what we call poison pill amendments, I would ask my colleagues to defeat them handily, because the Voting Rights Act is a symbol of freedom for all, all colors, all creeds, to be able to suggest that every citizen has a right to vote. Whether they speak English or not, Mr. Speaker, they have a right to vote, and these amendments that are being offered to undermine their voting rights say that if you are a citizen and you speak a different language, you cannot have the protection of the Voting Rights Act.

I ask my colleagues to join us in continuing the freedom statement of the Juneteenth holiday and to vote for the Voting Rights Act tomorrow. Juneteenth is alive and well.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to mark the occasion of Juneteenth, the oldest nationally celebrated

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commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. From its Galveston, Texas origin in 1865, the observance of June 19th as the African American Emancipation Day has spread across the United States and beyond.

Today Juneteenth commemorates African-American freedom. This special day emphasizes education and achievement. It is a day, a week, and in some areas, a month marked with celebrations, guest speakers, picnics and family gatherings. It is a time for reflection and rejoicing. It is a time for assessment, self-improvement and for planning the future. Its growing popularity signifies a level of maturity and dignity in America long over due. In cities across the country, 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. Sensitized to the conditions and experiences of others, only then can we make significant and lasting improvements in our society.

The Civil Rights movement of the 50’s and 60’s yielded both positive and negative results for the Juneteenth celebrations. While it pulled many of the African American youth away and into the struggle for racial equality, many linked these struggles to the historical struggles of their ancestors. This was evidenced by student demonstrators involved in the Atlanta civil rights campaign in the early 1960’s, whom wore Juneteenth freedom buttons. Again in 1968, Juneteenth received another strong resurgence through Poor Peoples March to Washington D.C.. Rev. Ralph Abernathy’s call for people all races, creeds, economic levels and professions to come to Washington to show support for the poor. Many of these attendees returned home and initiated Juneteenth celebrations in areas previously absent of such activity. In fact, two of the largest Juneteenth celebrations founded after this March are now held in Milwaukee and Minneapolis.

Texas Blazes the Trail

On January 1, 1980, Juneteenth became an official state holiday through the efforts Rep. Al Edwards, an African American state legislator. The successful passage of this bill marked Juneteenth as the first emancipation celebration granted official state recognition. Representative Edwards has since actively sought to spread the observance of Juneteenth all across America.

Juneteenth In Modern Times

Throughout the 80’s and 90’s Juneteenth has continued to enjoy a growing and healthy interest from communities and organizations throughout the country. Institutions such as the Smithsonian, the Henry Ford Museum and others have begun sponsoring Juneteenth-centered activities. In recent years, a number of National Juneteenth Organizations have arisen to take their place along side older organizations–all with the mission to promote and cultivate knowledge and appreciation of African American history and culture.

Juneteenth today, celebrates African American freedom while encouraging self-development and respect for all cultures. As it takes on a more national and even global perspective, the events of 1865 in Texas are not forgotten, for all of the roots tie back to this fertile soil from which a national day of pride is growing. The future of Juneteenth looks bright as the number of cities and states come on board and form local committees and organizations to coordinate the activities.

With the Voting Rights Act Reauthorization and Amendments Act of 2006 coming up on the floor tomorrow, it is important to remember that the VRA is one of the most effective civil rights statute ever enacted, and while its successes has generated increased political power for many at the local, state, and federal levels, there is still much work to be done. Critical provisions of the Act, including the language assistance provisions contained within Section 203, are set to expire next year. The right to vote is only meaningful when the language of the ballot and other election materials is fully comprehensible to the voter.

Recently, a 9-foot bronze statue, created by Eddie Dixon of Lubbock, was erected in the city of Galveston, TX. The Statue depicts a man holding the state law that made Juneteenth a state holiday in 1979. It was at the Ashton Villa where Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger of the U.S. Army is believed to have read a proclamation on June 19, 1865, announcing that slaves were free. The historic emancipation proclamation enacted by President Abraham Lincoln went into effect Jan. 1, 1863. Monday marked the 27th year that people have gathered to celebrate Juneteenth.

The Texas State Library shares the text of Major-Gen. Granger’s statement on the emancipation of slaves:

Juneteenth, celebrated on June 19, is the name given to emancipation day by African-Americans in Texas. On that day in 1865 Union Major-General Gordon Granger read General Orders, No.3 to the people of Galveston. It 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 personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired labor. The freedmen are advised to remain quietly at their present homes and work for wages. They are informed that they will not be allowed to collect at military posts and that they will not be supported in idleness either there or elsewhere.”

See also:
Wikipedia on Juneteenth
Congressional Record Book entry of Rep. Jackson-Lee’s 20 June 2006 speech