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Saturday, June 20, 2009

JUNETEENTH HISTORY

Juneteenth, a name derived from a portmanteau (word fusing together two functional words) of the words June and nineteenth, is also known as Freedom Day or Emancipation Day. Juneteenth marks the anniversary of June 19, 1865; the day that Texas slaves learned they were free. It is commemorated across the United States and is an official state holiday in Texas. Legend has it while standing on the balcony of Galveston’s Ashton Villa, General Gordon 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.”

The first major Texas commemoration of June 19 was held in 1866. At the state capital, the first Juneteenth celebration was held in 1867. The celebration spread to other states via African Americans who moved out of Texas and took their commemorative activities with them. During the 1960s, the emphasis on civil rights overshadowed Juneteenth celebration. In fact, many African Americans did not want to be reminded of slavery and instead were actively involved in effort to gain social and economic equality. As author Charles Taylor stated, "while the painful side of slavery makes it difficult for many blacks to celebrate Juneteenth, it is the positive legacy of perseverance and cooperation that makes it impossible for others to ignore."

By the 1970s, African Americans in Texas were renewing interest in their heritage and ties with ancestors who were freed on June 19. People began campaigning for a state holiday and a bill was introduced in the Texas House of Representatives. The legislature passed an act in 1979 making Juneteenth a paid holiday, and the first official celebration was held in 1980.

As of February 2008, 26 states have recognized Juneteenth as either a state holiday or state holiday observance, including Colorado.

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