May Your Day Be Fulfilled!
--is the common phrase necessary for well-wishes given on Juneteenth, a federal holiday, celebrated on the 19th of June. Also known as Jubilee Day, Emancipation Day, Freedom Day, Black Independence Day, and officially Juneteenth National Independence Day, it falls in the midst of 21 days of June called "Honor American Days" beginning with Flag Day on June 14th and culminating with the 4th of July. The official flag of Juneteenth (shown above), created in 1997, shares the red, white, and blue of the United States flag reflecting that all Black and African Americans have the right of freedom and justice, as well shows that they are equally American citizens alongside their white counterpart. The original 1920's Juneteenth flag (UNIA, Afro-American Flag, Black Liberation Flag) is red, green, and black, serving as a reminder of the freedom, pride, and the political power of Black Americans.
On January 1st, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, stating that on that day, all enslaved people of the United States, specifically that in the rebellious Southern region, were free and rightful citizens. However, although this was decreed, many states did not follow until action was taken by Union troops to enforce it, thus the actual dates of freedom were varied among the southern states. Being so far removed from the capital of the United States, Texas saw an advancement of slavery, as many slave holders moved into Texas with their captives as the war ended in order to continue their life-style practices. As well, because of the difficulty in reaching Texas and having to enforce the proclamation in other states, union troops were slow to reach and enforce the law. However, union army general, Gordon Granger along with 2,000 union troop members, reached Galveston, Texas on June 19, 1865, and freedom for all the enslaved people of Texas was officially declared.
General Gordon Glanger
Celebration of Emancipation Day (Juneteenth) in 1900, Texas
Thus, that is why the official second day of American Independence, Juneteenth, falls on the 19th of June. However, although it was originated as far back as 1865, recognition has been an uphill battle as striving to maintain the rights of the black american has been and is an ongoing challenge. Even with the ratification of the thirteenth amendment on December 6th, 1865, stating " Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction" (Abraham Lincoln,16th President of the United States of America), racism still ran rampant throughout the southern states and beyond. In the early years of Juneteenth, citizens wishing to honor and celebrate were relongated to do so in private church settings. In the early twentieth century, 1890-1908, celebrations faced a severe decline due to economic and political forces which brought about new laws and amendments in Texas and other former Confederate states. These laws, such as Jim Crow, greatly disenfrancished black americans, such as causing them to lose their voting rights, among others. The Jim Crow laws themselves enforced the "separate but equal", which imposed the belief that black americans were second class citizens. In addition, the decline in celebrating was due to other factors, such as the younger black americans preoccupied with school, etc, did not view the need for celebrating as they had never experienced slavery firsthand, also upwardly mobile black americans who wished to assimilate and were embarrased by their heritage, as well as financial hardship, like the Great Depression, which made it increasingly hard to take time off to celebrate.
Band performing in Texas for Emancipation Day, 1900
However, due to much perseverance, the Texas State Fair, between 1936-1951, became a destination for celebrating the holiday, contributing to its revival. Furthermore, during the racist tumult of the 1960s-1980s, many black americans saw these struggles akin to their ancestors' former enslaved lives and sought to pursue celebrating and honoring Juneteenth openly, such as campaigners for equality wearing Juneteenth buttons and Rev. Ralph Abernathy referred to June 19th as the "Solidarity Day of the Poor People’s Campaign". Despite numerous campaigns and decrees to make Juneteenth an official federal holiday, this was not finalized until June 17th, 2021 by President Joe Biden.
Emancipation Day celebration in Richmond, Virginia, 1905
In our current times, the rights and lives of black americans are still in upheaval as daily they face deeply rooted racism and its many dangers, from the drastic experience of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and many more. Because of these, it is vastly important to honor the legacy of Juneteenth, recalling its profound impact of never giving up hope in times uncertain.
Research for this blog came from:
No comments:
Post a Comment