The end of slavery in the United States is certainly something to celebrate and reflect upon. Here’s why Juneteenth is such an important holiday.
Slavery was legally abolished in the U.S. after the Civil War ended (by way of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution) and the seceded Confederate states re-entered the union. It was a law that had to be enforced in the former slave states, and on June 19, 1865, federal troops showed up in Galveston, Texas, to temporarily take over local government affairs and see to the release of any slaves. Texas had been the last slavery stronghold in the U.S., and through the Civil War. It was remote enough from the rest of the South that there weren’t many battles there, and so the practice continued.
General Gordon Granger read an order in public, saying, “The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free.” That applied to about 250,000 people in Texas, and it took the better part of a year to fully liberate the state. Some plantation owners waited until after the fall harvest to even inform their slaves that they were free.
Get Uncle John's Action-Packed Bathroom Reader Today!
On June 19, 1866, the anniversary of the Galveston proclamation, freed peoples in Texas held a celebration called Jubilee Day. It grew every year, first around Texas, and then to other population centers around the U.S. with large populations of Black Americans and former slaves. The day-long festivities included cookouts, church services, games, and musical performances. Over time, Jubilee Day gave way to Juneteenth, a contraction of “June” and “Nineteenth.”
The first time Juneteenth was made into an official holiday was in 1979, when its state of origin, Texas, declared it a state holiday. On June 17, 2021, it was made an official full federal holiday nationwide, meaning government offices are closed, it’s a paid day off, and there’s no mail.