Juneteenth: Difference between revisions

Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day or Emancipation Day, is an official annual holiday in 29^[1] states of the United States. Celebrated on June 19, it commemorates the announcement of the abolition of slavery in Texas. The holiday originated in Galveston, Texas; for more than a century, the state of Texas was the primary home of Juneteenth celebrations, however, one small community in Arkansas (Wilmar) boasts that its celebration, called "June Dinner" has been consistently observed and celebrated, except for one year, since approximately 1870. Since 1980, Juneteenth has been an official state holiday in Texas. It is considered a "partial staffing holiday" meaning that state offices do not close but some employees will be using a floating holiday to take the day off.^[2] Twelve other states list it as an official holiday, including Arkansas, New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Alaska. In California, Governor Schwarzenegger proclaimed June 19th "Juneteenth" on June 19, 2005,^[3][4] however, some of these states, such as Connecticut, do not consider it a legal holiday and do not close government offices in observance of the occasion.^[5] Its informal observance has spread to some other states, with a few celebrations even taking place in other countries.^{[6] [4]}

As of June 2008, 29 states^[1] and the District of Columbia^{[citation needed]} have recognized Juneteenth as either a state holiday or state holiday observance; these include Alaska,^[4] Arkansas,^{[citation needed]} California,^[4] Colorado,^{[citation needed]} Connecticut,^[4] Delaware, Florida^{[citation needed]}, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan,^{[citation needed]} New Jersey,^[4] New Mexico,^{[citation needed]} New York,^[4] North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee,^{[citation needed]} Texas,^[1] Vermont,^[1] Virginia, Washington, and Wyoming.^{[citation needed]}

History

Though the Emancipation Proclamation had been issued on September 22, 1862, with an effective date of January 1, 1863, it had little immediate effect on most slaves’ day-to-day lives, particularly in Texas, which was almost entirely under Confederate control. Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, the day Union General Gordon Granger and 2,000 federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, to take possession of the state and enforce the emancipation of its slaves. Legend has it while standing on the balcony of Galveston’s Ashton Villa, Granger read the contents of “General Order No. 3”:

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.^[7]

That day has since become known as Juneteenth, a name derived from a portmanteau of the words June and nineteenth.

Former slaves in Galveston rejoiced in the streets with jubilant celebrations. Juneteenth celebrations began in Texas the following year.^[7] Across many parts of Texas, freed people pooled their funds to purchase land specifically for their communities’ increasingly large Juneteenth gatherings — including Houston’s Emancipation Park, Mexia’s Booker T. Washington Park, and Emancipation Park in Austin.^[7] Juneteenth celebrations include a wide range of festivities, such as parades, street fairs, cookouts, or park parties and include such things as music and dancing or even contests of physical strength and intellect. Baseball and other popular American games may also be played.

In literature

Ralph Ellison's second novel Juneteenth deals with this holiday and its traditions. Juneteenth was published posthumously.

Carolyn Meyer's novel Jubilee Journey is the story of one young biracial girl celebrating Juneteenth with her relatives in Texas, while also learning to be proud of her African American heritage.

Ann Rinaldi's historical novel Come Juneteenth is the story of how Juneteenth came to be, and follows the life of a young white plantation-owner's daughter in Texas during the Civil War whose family faces tragedy after their mulatto half-sister runs away when learning they lied to her about being free.

Traditions

Juneteenth is traditionally celebrated with a large feast served as an all day meal in a park or outdoor space. The traditional dishes of Juneteenth are served pot luck and usually include portions of barbecue, cakes, fresh fruit and vegetables, and pies. The traditional cuisine of the Juneteenth celebration includes barbecue, greens, pies, baked bread, red soda, home-made ice cream, and watermelon.^[8]

The food items of Juneteenth are steeped in tradition themselves. On the first Juneteenth in 1865 the formerly enslaved brothers held a feast to celebrate their freedom from chains by eating watermelon and red soda in Galveston.^[9]

Other traditions include an annunciated public reading of the Emancipation Proclamation as a reminder that the slaves have been proclaimed free. Many African-American families use this opportunity to retrace their ancestry to the enslaved ancestors, who were held in bondage for centuries. Celebrants often sing traditional songs as well such as Swing Low, Sweet Chariot, Lift Every Voice and Sing, and poetry from African-American authors like Maya Angelou.^[10]

See also

• Slavery in the United States
• Emancipation Day
• African American

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Juneteenth.

• Juneteenth World Wide Celebration
• 19th of June
• Juneteenth from the Handbook of Texas Online
• Texas State Library’s Juneteenth page
• Dallas’ annual Juneteenth film festival
• Festival for Charlotte, NC and surrounding area
• Juneteenth America, Inc.--California Juneteenth
• Rappahannock Regional Juneteenth Celebration
• National Juneteenth Observance Foundation
• Juneteenth New Jersey Celebration
• Juneteenth Maryland Celebration
• Pennsylvania Juneteenth Coalition
• Massachusetts to 'recognize' Juneteenth Boston Globe
• [2] Rappahannock Regional Juneteenth Celebration