Juneteenth

Black Independence Day

Two months after the end of the Civil War, slaves throughout the state were finally informed of the Emancipation Proclamation, which was first promulgated by President Abraham Lincoln in September 1862. That Texas had minimal Union supervision throughout the war meant that bondsmen in the state knew little about Lincoln's decree and thus their long overdue freedom. When General Granger delivered General Order Number 3 on June 19, word slowly made its way across the state, and since then, many former Texas slaves and their descendants have commemorated that day of jubilee every subsequent year. Presently, black citizens in Texas and all across America celebrate Juneteenth as a black Independence Day.

Early manifestations of Juneteenth celebrations were marked by a host of private and public celebrations, both simple and elaborate. Black Texans paused to reflect on a slave past and to acknowledge whatever triumphs their newfound freedom brought, no matter how modest or fleeting. In fact, some of the first Juneteenth commemorations were both educational and activist in scope. The Texas Freedmen's Bureau and black community leaders, for example, used the day as an opportunity to teach former bondsmen the value of their most basic civic right—the right to vote.

In many Texas towns and cities throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, it was not uncommon for black churches to hold thanksgiving ceremonies and even mixed-race community gatherings on Juneteenth. These spectacles oftentimes included plenty of music, revelry, and, of course, food. In Texas, particularly, barbeques were and still are quintessential staples at most Juneteenth celebrations. Some celebrants also serve strawberry soda and sweet watermelon alongside their barbeque feasts, as both items were products cheaply available to slaves and freedmen.

Though the focus of the day was to celebrate, the seriousness of and cause for those festivities were not lost. Black activists oftentimes took advantage of the large crowds gathered in local churches or “emancipation parks” to preach racial uplift and self-determination. They encouraged blacks not to dishonor the legacies and hard-won gains of their ancestors.

Today, many municipalities, civic groups, and formalized Juneteenth committees across the state host parades, festivals, and pageants in honor of the holiday. Houston and Dallas, both Texas cities with large black populations, organize well-attended public parades, concerts, and educational seminars for the day. After all, it was a Houston-area state representative, Al Edwards, who in 1979 introduced a bill in the Texas legislature calling for Juneteenth to become an official state holiday. The bill passed, and Governor William P. Clements signed it into law, which made Texas the first state to grant Juneteenth holiday status.

Today, more than 40 other states either observe Juneteenth or have granted it full state holiday status. With Juneteenth a state holiday in Texas, government and some private-sector employees in the state enjoy the day off from work. Though government offices are not closed for the day, staffers have the liberty to use the holiday time at their discretion. Juneteenth celebrations in Texas and elsewhere help energize African Americans and other citizens as the nation gears up to celebrate Independence Day during the month of July. Though meant to honor the long-awaited news of emancipation, Juneteenth has evolved into a holiday that looks not only backward but forward as well.

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