Juneteenth, or June 19th is the day when the last slaves in Texas were finally emancipated or freed from slavery. The Emancipation Proclamation was a proclamation and executive order issued by President Abraham Lincoln on September 22, 1862. With an effective date of January 1, 1863, the executive order ended slavery in all Confederate areas. Confederate states delayed enforcement of the order. The Union Army took over the Confederate states and began to enforce the law. It wasn’t until June 19, 1865 that the Union Army took control over Texas – more than 2 years after the Emancipation Proclamation. Later that year, the Thirteenth Amendment was ratified. The Thirteenth Amendment ended slavery and indentured servitude in all states except as punishment for a crime.
Juneteenth celebrations originally started in Texas. From there, the celebrations spread across the south. Eventually, annual celebrations spread throughout majority black communities across the country. Celebrations were usually local neighborhood events and did not receive much media attention. Early celebrations included religious ceremonies, reading the Emancipation Proclamation, and gathering with family members. Especially with those family members who were separated during slavery. Many families planned their family reunions the weekend of Juneteenth. During the celebrations, blacks celebrated their heritage. People played sports, games, and trivia. They had picnics, BBQs, and cooked food celebrating their history. Blacks dressed for church and later dressed in costumes for street fairs and parades. As blacks relocated across the country, they took the norm of celebrating Juneteenth with them.
The holiday did not receive official recognition until Texas made it a state holiday effective January 1, 1980. Since then, states across the country began to officially recognize the date in various forms. For example, many states now offer a paid day of leave, a reduced work schedule, or a day of reflection. In recent years, various corporations began to offer Juneteenth as a paid holiday. Similarly, media coverage and commercialization has increased. Some cities such as Decatur, GA are beginning to co-sponsor celebration events for the first time.
For many African-Americans, Independence Day is not the 4th of July. It is the 19th of June.