On Thursday, June 17, President Joe Biden signed a bill into law, making Juneteenth a national holiday. This bill passed unanimously in the Senate, and only 14 House Republicans voted no. But what is Juneteenth, and why is it important?
Juneteenth’s history
Juneteenth represents June 19, 1865, when Union soldiers brought news of emancipation and freedom to enslaved people in Galveston, Texas.
“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 rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired laborer. 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.”
General Orders, Number 3; Headquarters District of Texas, Galveston, June 19, 1865
From then on, June 19 became celebrated as African American Emancipation Day. Even though Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation two years earlier, news traveled slowly throughout the vast, still fractured nation. And even though Richmond had fallen by the time General Granger spoke the words that would mark June 19 as a historical turning point, many rebel soldiers continued fighting, too slow to respond to orders from their commanders. The surrender of the Confederacy did not mean much to enslaved people—for all they knew, they were still in bondage.
Why Texas?
Many masters deliberately kept their slaves in the dark to exploit them for at least a few more years. Texas was relatively far away from the Union army’s grasp, and slaveowners hoped to maintain their status quo. Even when enslaved people learned of the news, they were often hesitant to escape due to the threat of retaliation.
The role of women in Juneteenth
In spite of this fear, “when rumor and news of the proclamation trickled onto plantations, many enslaved women walked out of bondage in their mistresses dresses and finery, discarding visible markers of slavery to put on the cloak of freedom, items they believed were rightfully theirs after years of unpaid labor.
“Through their dress and exuberant joy, Black women politicized their bodies and claimed freedom as an act of self-expression. These struts and personal parades of dignity were indeed precursors to later, more formalized emancipation celebrations.”
Women at the Center. New York Historical Society Museum and Library.
As soon as 1866, Juneteenth became an opportunity for freed people to study their history and uplift each other. Delicious food, fun games, and camaraderie accompanied religious sermons and spiritual reflection.
However, Juneteenth was not without its obstacles. The failed Reconstruction era ushered in Jim Crow laws, and Black Texans found their celebrations hindered. Still, the traditions of the day persisted. People began migrating throughout the United States, bringing the story of Juneteenth with them. Long after the fateful day in 1865, Juneteenth became officially recognized.
The journey to recognition
In 1979, Texas, unsurprisingly, became the first state to make Juneteenth an official holiday. 41 states followed, and on Thursday, Juneteenth became a federal holiday. The United States has remarkably few federal holidays, saving them for truly worthy occasions, and few Congresspeople saw a more worthy reason for a federal holiday than to celebrate the end of slavery, the shameful stain on American history. In fact, the last federal holiday was Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, created in 1983.
Concerns
It is undoubtedly important for us to recognize Juneteenth and its implications. However, many activists are worried that this action is not enough. Washington has a history of taking performative actions, making a big show out of the bare minimum. We are already at a point more than one year after the killing of George Floyd at the hands of the police. People protested in the streets for months. Nevertheless, there is little if any widespread police reform, especially at the federal level. New bills aim to restrict voting rights, pushing minorities away from the electoral process. Americans still have so much work to do.
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