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On this Day: Slaves in Texas Finally Liberated
by
Erin Harris
On June 19, 1865, two years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation took effect, slaves in Texas learned of their freedom. The day is still celebrated as “Juneteenth.”
30-Second Summary
Between 1863 and 1865, 250,000 African-American slaves in Texas remained under the control of their masters, while their comrades up North were already enjoying independence.
President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, to bring an end to slavery. It took another two and half years for Major Gordon Granger and his regiment to land in Galveston, Texas and declare, “The people of Texas are informed...all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves.”
Texas was also the last state to learn that General Robert E. Lee had surrendered to the Union Army in April 1865, bringing a close to the Civil War.
Rejoicing in their newfound freedom, African-Americans in Texas dubbed the day “Juneteenth” and held gatherings similar to today’s Fourth of July celebrations. Ex-slaves constructed parks in Texas to honor their emancipation, and the Juneteenth tradition remained strong well into the 20th century.
Its popularity waned in the 1960s, during the civil rights movement, but was revived the following decade. June 19th was first recognized as a state holiday in 1980 when House Bill No. 1016, proposed by State Rep. Al Edwards, D-Houston, was passed.
The holiday lives on today with annual picnics, parades, and dancing to commemorate the emancipation. The celebrations have spread beyond Texas to Alabama, Florida and California, and currently take place in fourteen states across the country.
President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, to bring an end to slavery. It took another two and half years for Major Gordon Granger and his regiment to land in Galveston, Texas and declare, “The people of Texas are informed...all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves.”
Texas was also the last state to learn that General Robert E. Lee had surrendered to the Union Army in April 1865, bringing a close to the Civil War.
Rejoicing in their newfound freedom, African-Americans in Texas dubbed the day “Juneteenth” and held gatherings similar to today’s Fourth of July celebrations. Ex-slaves constructed parks in Texas to honor their emancipation, and the Juneteenth tradition remained strong well into the 20th century.
Its popularity waned in the 1960s, during the civil rights movement, but was revived the following decade. June 19th was first recognized as a state holiday in 1980 when House Bill No. 1016, proposed by State Rep. Al Edwards, D-Houston, was passed.
The holiday lives on today with annual picnics, parades, and dancing to commemorate the emancipation. The celebrations have spread beyond Texas to Alabama, Florida and California, and currently take place in fourteen states across the country.
Headline Link: ‘Late to Freedom’s Party, Texans Spread Word of Black Holiday’
The New York Times explains why Juneteenth is a holiday celebrated in good spirits: “With its lighthearted name and tragicomic origins, Juneteenth appeals to many Americans by celebrating the end of slavery without dwelling on its legacy. Juneteenth, its celebrators say, is Martin Luther King’s Birthday without the grieving.”
Source: The New York Times (free registration may be required)
Background: Galveston, Texas
Galveston, Texas, the birthplace of Juneteenth, was a pirate port until 1821. By the end of the Civil War it had become the largest city in Texas and a major trading site for slaves and cotton. Galveston.com has more about Galveston’s history, including the Great Storm of 1900, which destroyed a third of the city and killed 6,000 people.
Source: Galveston.com & Company, Inc.
Read about slavery in the 1800’s, the fight for freedom, and the Emancipation Proclamation in findingDulcinea’s feature, “The American Civil War.”
Source: findingDulcinea
FindingDulcinea’s Web Guide to U.S. History includes a section on the Civil War that highlights the best places on the Web’s to learn more about the tumultuous conflict between the North and South.
Source: findingDulcinea
Later Developments: Juneteenth in the 20th century; a memorial in decline
The Handbook of Texas Online tracks the trajectory of Juneteenth celebrations through the years: “Juneteenth declined in popularity in the early 1960s, when the civil-rights movement, with its push for integration, diminished interest in the event. In the 1970s African Americans’ renewed interest in celebrating their cultural heritage led to the revitalization of the holiday throughout the state…The first state-sponsored Juneteenth celebration took place in 1980.”
Source: The Handbook of Texas Online
Shortly after emancipation in 1865, ex-slaves in Texas began purchasing land to serve as Juneteenth gathering sites. Houston’s Emancipation Park, signed in 1872, was one of the first to host carnivals, dances, picnics, and parades on June 19. But today the park is no longer a “landmark for freedom;” it has become a place where “drug dealers and gang members rule at night.” Strong efforts are being made by local officials to restore the park’s integrity and to honor the legacy of Juneteenth.
Source: Houston Chronicle
Analysis: To celebrate or to mourn?
A June 19, 2007, NPR broadcast questions whether Juneteenth serves as a day of triumph or pain, a celebration of the future or a reminder of the difficult past. Author Mark Anthony Neal explains why it took so long for word of emancipation to reach Texas, saying, “It’s not like folks could send e-mail or text messages at the time.”
Source: NPR
Reference: Directory of local celebrations
Looking for a Juneteenth celebration near you? The National Registry of Juneteenth Organizations & Supporters can help you find a Juneteenth clebration in your area, or advertise your celebration in the site’s “Post an Event” section. It also provides an in-depth history of Juneteenth, following its course through the 20th century.
Source: National Registry of Juneteenth Organizations & Supporters
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