In a couple of weeks on July 4, those in the United States will celebrate the country’s freedom from England with barbecues, fireworks, and red, white, and blue flags. But today, June 19, marks the celebration of another type of freedom – the freedom of enslaved Black people from the system of slavery. Juneteenth (a fusion of “June” + “nineteenth”) began as a statewide Emancipation Day celebration in Texas, but has grown to be much more over the centuries.

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Juneteenth celebrations go back to 1866. A year before, on June 19, 1865, Major General Gordon Granger and 2,000 Union Army soldiers arrived in Texas, a Confederate State at the time, and issued General Order No. 3. General Order No. 3 stated that all 250,000 enslaved people in Texas were thereby free under the Emancipation Proclamation. Despite President Abraham Lincoln declaring the emancipation of slaves two-and-a-half years earlier, millions of enslaved Blacks were unaware – sometimes because slave owners withheld that information.

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Every Juneteenth, families would gather to read the Emancipation Proclamation, listen to spiritual sermons, and, of course, barbecue. The color red became a symbol of the sacrifices made for freedom during slavery, the abolitionist movement, and the Civil War. It was common for White Texans to prevent celebrations by banning the use of public areas, but that didn’t cull the celebrations. Instead, Black communities banned together to purchase land where Juneteeth celebration could be held, one being Emancipation Park in Houston, Texas. 

(Left) 1900 Juneteenth celebration; (Right) 1995 Minnesota Juneteenth march

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Juneteenth celebrations spread to other parts of the country, growing from small gatherings to large events and marchs. Unfortunately, during the era of Jim Crow – the time period characterized by laws that legalized segregation and discrimination against Black people until the 1960s – Juneteeth celebrations continued to dwindle to until they almost became nonexistent. That was, until the Civil Rights and Black Power movements revitalized the holiday in the late 1960s. 

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While Juneteenth commemorates a historic moment and serves as a symbol of black freedom, generations of Americans, especially Black Americans, have gone their whole lives without knowing about the holiday. Racist laws, whitewashed narratives, and narrow accounts of Black history have caused Black Americans to feel disconnected from their history, rendering events such as Juneteenth “forgotten histories.” Fortunately, interest in celebrating the holiday has grown over the years, with a particular surge in 2020 during the nationwide reckoning of racial injustice in America.

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Juneteenth is a day for Black people to be joyous, but it’s also a day to look back and contemplate the true meaning of ‘freedom’. However, it’s difficult to be fully joyous when you constantly hear the countless stories of unarmed Black men, women, and children whose lives were unfairly cut short at the hands of police officers or racist individuals, when true freedom for Black people is still out of reach.  

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With the continued struggle in mind, Juneteenth is a day to strengthen and heal as a community. Juneteenth is also an opportunity to remember those who have fought for freedom, equality, and justice before us – from abolitionists in the 1800s to Civil Rights activists in the 1950s and 60s to the Black Lives Matter activists of today – and reenergize ourselves to continue the work. 

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As of June 16, 2021, the U.S. Congress officially recognized Juneteenth as a federal holiday, ensuring the monumental moment will never again become a “forgotten history.” However, it’s just as important that the symbolism of community, family, joy, and the continued fight for true freedom associated with Juneteenth are not forgotten as well.

Artistic depiction of Black people who have suffered and died due to structural discrimination, from enslaved individuals to people like Breonna Taylor and George Floyd.

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