The Old Maid
06-18-2002, 08:11 PM
For the benefit of our friends across the border and overseas, June 19th (http://www.juneteenth.com) is Freedom Day, the day that slavery was finally abolished in the last Confederate state, Texas.
Aside from Hawaii (which was conquered), Texas is the only U.S. state which was once a country. In September 1862 President Abraham Lincoln drafted (http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/library/features/ep/index.html) the Emancipation Proclamation (http://www.chumpchange.com/Juneteenth/History.htm#Emancipation) to free all slaves in Confederate territory effective January 1, 1863. However, due to its persistent independent streak and its great distance from the Union capitol, Texas chose to suppress news of the Proclamation. They succeeded for almost three years.
In June 1865, two months after civil war ended, Union General Gordon Granger and his army arrived in Galveston. He was stunned to learn that not only had Emancipation never been announced, but that other Southerners had shipped their slaves to Texas with the intention of reclaiming them when the war ended. Therefore Granger wrote General Order #3 (http://www.chumpchange.com/Juneteenth/history.htm#GeneralOrder3) repeating that "all slaves are free." The first Juneteenth Freedom Day festival was celebrated there June 19th, 1866.
It is best known in Texas but spread (http://www.juneteenth.com/worldwide.htm) to other states as freedmen migrated looking for work. It became a legal (http://www.texasjuneteenthusa.com) State of Texas holiday on January 1, 1980. This was the first official holiday for an emancipation celebration in the USA. Proponents hope to have it recognized nationally because the original Emancipation Day has been overshadowed by other festivities on January 1st (New Year's Day).
Juneteenth has something for everyone, sort of a combination of revival tents, parades, picnics in the park and family storytelling. Traditional foods of the day include barbecue, potato salad, strawberry sodapop, watermelon and homemade ice cream. Mmmm. I brought the sodapop. Who wants one?
Sit down to table, everybody, and enjoy!
Aside from Hawaii (which was conquered), Texas is the only U.S. state which was once a country. In September 1862 President Abraham Lincoln drafted (http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/library/features/ep/index.html) the Emancipation Proclamation (http://www.chumpchange.com/Juneteenth/History.htm#Emancipation) to free all slaves in Confederate territory effective January 1, 1863. However, due to its persistent independent streak and its great distance from the Union capitol, Texas chose to suppress news of the Proclamation. They succeeded for almost three years.
In June 1865, two months after civil war ended, Union General Gordon Granger and his army arrived in Galveston. He was stunned to learn that not only had Emancipation never been announced, but that other Southerners had shipped their slaves to Texas with the intention of reclaiming them when the war ended. Therefore Granger wrote General Order #3 (http://www.chumpchange.com/Juneteenth/history.htm#GeneralOrder3) repeating that "all slaves are free." The first Juneteenth Freedom Day festival was celebrated there June 19th, 1866.
It is best known in Texas but spread (http://www.juneteenth.com/worldwide.htm) to other states as freedmen migrated looking for work. It became a legal (http://www.texasjuneteenthusa.com) State of Texas holiday on January 1, 1980. This was the first official holiday for an emancipation celebration in the USA. Proponents hope to have it recognized nationally because the original Emancipation Day has been overshadowed by other festivities on January 1st (New Year's Day).
Juneteenth has something for everyone, sort of a combination of revival tents, parades, picnics in the park and family storytelling. Traditional foods of the day include barbecue, potato salad, strawberry sodapop, watermelon and homemade ice cream. Mmmm. I brought the sodapop. Who wants one?
Sit down to table, everybody, and enjoy!