Why do we celebrate Juneteenth?

June 19th or “Juneteenth” is a very important day in African American history. Juneteenth, or “Freedom Day” is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States

slavery in the United States

In the United States, abolitionism, the movement that sought to end slavery in the country, was active from the late colonial era until the American Civil War, the end of which brought about the abolition of American slavery through the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution (ratified 1865).

https://en.wikipedia.org › Abolitionism_in_the_United_States

Abolitionism in the United States - Wikipedia

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Why is it called Juneteenth?

The name "Juneteenth" references the date of the holiday, combining the words "June" and "nineteenth." "On June 19, 1865, Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger led the Union Soldiers to Galveston, TX, to announce the end of the war and the freedom of all enslaved people.

How did Juneteenth become a holiday?

The day was first recognized as a federal holiday in 2021, when President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law after the efforts of Lula Briggs Galloway, Opal Lee, and others. Early celebrations date to 1866, at first involving church-centered community gatherings in Texas.

Why is Juneteenth on June 20th?

Federal troops were sent in to Galveston, Texas, on June 19, 1865, to enforce the Emancipation Proclamation and declare that all enslaved people were free. In the years since, June 19 has transformed into Juneteenth, a day to honor the end of slavery in the United States.

When did Juneteenth become a holiday?

117th Congress

475 were both introduced to establish Juneteenth as a federal holiday. S. 475 passed the Senate by unanimous consent on June 15, 2021, and it passed the House by a vote of 415-14 on June 16, 2021. The bill was signed into law on June 17, 2021,4 and Juneteenth became the 12th federal holiday.

What is Juneteenth and why do we celebrate it?

What year did slavery end?

Passed by Congress on January 31, 1865, and ratified on December 6, 1865, the 13th Amendment abolished slavery in the United States.

Who founded Juneteenth?

Gen. Gordon Granger rode into Galveston, Texas, on June 19, 1865, to spread the news of the Emancipation Proclamation outlawing slavery in Confederate states. President Abraham Lincoln had signed it more than two years earlier. "And now we can all finally celebrate.

Did Juneteenth end slavery?

Juneteenth commemorates an effective end of slavery in the United States. Juneteenth (short for “June Nineteenth”) marks the day when federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas in 1865 to take control of the state and ensure that all enslaved people be freed.

What is the difference between Juneteenth and Emancipation Day?

Emancipation Day. In Texas, Juneteenth and Emancipation Day are the same day. In other states, the end of slavery is commemorated on the specific date when emancipation began there, including: Virginia (Richmond) (April 3)31.

Is Juneteenth a flag?

The Juneteenth flag is a symbol for the Juneteenth holiday in the United States. The first version was created in 1997 by activist Ben Haith and that early version was displayed in 1997. The present version was first flown in 2000. The colors and symbols on the flag are representative of freedom and the end of slavery.

Who made Juneteenth a legal holiday?

Congress passed The Juneteenth National Independence Day Act in June 2021, a day after the Senate passed the bill with unanimous consent. Biden signed the bill into law on June 17 – two days before Juneteenth. The federal government followed the lead of 47 states that already recognized Juneteenth.

How many states celebrate Juneteenth?

A year after President Biden signed a bill making Juneteenth the 11th federal holiday, 32 states have not passed legislation to recognize it as a state holiday, according to the Congressional Research Service.

What states have Juneteenth as a paid holiday?

New Mexico has recognized Juneteenth as a state holiday since 2006, observed on the third Saturday of June; it became a paid holiday for state workers for the first time in 2022. South Dakota, North Dakota and Hawaii were the last states to give Juneteenth any formal recognition.

Why is Juneteenth a color?

"The design of the Juneteenth flag depicts a bursting new star on the horizon. The star represents a new freedom, a new people, a new star. The red, white and blue colors communicate that the American Slaves, and their descendants were all Americans."

Was Texas the last state to free slaves?

It wasn't until more than two years later, in June of 1865, that U.S. Army troops arrived in Galveston Bay, Texas to officially announce and enforce emancipation. Texas was the last state of the Confederacy in which enslaved people officially gained their freedom—a fact that is not well-known.

Is Juneteenth a paid federal holiday?

Texas became the first state in the country to make Juneteenth a paid day off in 1980. Mr. Biden signed the holiday into federal law on June 17, 2021. Now, 24 states, and the District of Columbia, have made it a paid holiday.

What is Juneteenth called in Texas?

Texas House Bill 1016 passed in the 66th Legislature, Regular Session, declared June 19, "Emancipation Day in Texas," a legal state holiday effective starting in 1980. Since that time, the celebration of Juneteenth continues across the state of Texas with parades, picnics, and dancing.

Why do we celebrate Juneteenth and not the Emancipation Proclamation?

The Emancipation Proclamation and the Juneteenth Holiday - Jack Miller Center. The Emancipation Proclamation was issued on January 1, 1863 during the midst of the Civil War. It didn't take complete effect until June 19, 1865 when the last enslaved people in the South were freed by the Union army.

What are some Juneteenth traditions?

Music, dancing, and games — like dominoes, bid whist, and spades — round out some festivities. Serving red drinks, which symbolizes perseverance and honors the blood that was shed by our ancestors, is another Juneteenth tradition.

What is the real story of Juneteenth?

Freedom finally came on June 19, 1865, when some 2,000 Union troops arrived in Galveston Bay, Texas. The army announced that the more than 250,000 enslaved black people in the state, were free by executive decree. This day came to be known as "Juneteenth," by the newly freed people in Texas.

Who owns the name Juneteenth?

The company that held an active trademark application for Juneteenth is actually Balchem Corp., which: “develops, manufactures, and markets specialty performance ingredients and products for the nutritional, food, pharmaceutical, animal health, medical device sterilization, plant nutrition, and industrial markets in ...

What does the white star on the Juneteenth flag symbolize?

Deliberately consisting of a red, white, and blue color scheme just like the American flag, the Juneteenth flag has a white star in the center, meant to represent both Texas (the Lone Star State), as well as the freedom of enslaved people in all 50 states.

What traditional food is served in Juneteenth?

Well first, since it's a warm weather celebration, Juneteenth food traditions often include cookout fare like barbecued meats, potato salad and fruity or frozen desserts. You'll also see lots of traditional soul food dishes like fried chicken, cornbread and collard greens.

What are the colors of Juneteenth?

You'll see that the Juneteenth flag uses the exact same colors as the United States's flag: red, white, and blue. This was intentional and meant to show that the formerly enslaved and their descendants are free Americans, too.

What states had slavery?

As cotton became a popular and profitable growing option, slavery rapidly grew westward through Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Texas. Missouri, Kentucky, Oklahoma, and Delaware also used slave labor, but not to the same extent as the other southern states.