Since 1865, Juneteenth has been celebrated throughout the United States on June 19th. Also known as Freedom Day, Juneteenth celebrates the last Black American slaves being freed. On June 17, 2021, President Biden signed S. 475, Juneteenth National Independence Day Act, into law, which marked Juneteenth as a federal holiday. In his proclamation following the signing, President Biden stated:
"On Juneteenth, we recommit ourselves to the work of equity, equality, and justice. And, we celebrate the centuries of struggle, courage, and hope that have brought us to this time of progress and possibility."
The History of Juneteenth
On January 1, 1863, President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. It declared "that all persons held as slaves are, and henceforward shall be free." It is important to note that it was a limited proclamation that did not end all slavery in the nation and was used to "transform the character of the war." As long as parts of the nation were under Confederate control, slavery would continue.
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| National Archives |
Two and a half years later, Major General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas to share news of the proclamation and the end of the Civil War. Because news couldn't spread quickly, Union soldiers had to travel South to announce the proclamation and enforce it, hence, why Texas was the last state to free their slaves. While there were some slave owners who knew about this freedom, they kept that information from their enslaved people, until this was no longer possible. On June 19, 1865, this news hit slaves and slave owners in Texas, marking a freedom that shouldn't have ever been withheld. General Order No. 3, pictured below, was the official handwritten record of this proclamation, and it is currently preserved at the National Archives Building in Washington, DC. This date marked the beginning of a "symbolic date representing African American freedom."
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| National Archives |
Al Edwards, a Texas state representative, put forward a bill that made Texas the first state to grant Juneteenth an official Texas state holiday in 1980. On June 17, 2021, Juneteenth became the 11th federal holiday. While celebrations have always occurred for years, this marked a national recognition of freedom that was long coming.
.The Importance of Juneteenth
The importance of Juneteenth is great. Like Historian Henry Louis Gates Jr., states, "Juneteenth offers a chance for reflection on the past and consideration for the future." Juneteenth is a symbol of "triumph against injustice."
The U.S. Department of State held a Foreign Press Center Briefing regarding Juneteenth and its importance. Along with celebrating freedom, these celebrations "were often an opportunity to showcase progress among African Americans." Dr. Brenna W. Greer, an Associate Professor of History at Wellesley College, points out that:
"Juneteenth has never been just about celebrating freedom for black people; it's also been about black people asserting or making a claim to their freedom and citizenship."
It's also important to recognize the role enslaved individuals played in the fight for freedom, prior to acts and proclamations made by the people in power.
Juneteenth Documents at Oklahoma State University
The Edmon Low Library has various documents regarding Juneteenth including:
- Juneteenth on Greenwood
- Second annual Juneteenth on Greenwood
- Celebration, Studies in Festivity and Ritual
- "When Peace Come": Teaching the Significance of Juneteenth
The LOC has made a collection of all the legislative history regarding Juneteenth.
The Congressional Research Service has prepared a fact sheet with various information regarding Juneteenth including history, proclamations, and historical resources.
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