Commemoration of Juneteenth; The Day When the Last Slaves in America Became Aware of Their Freedom

On Monday, June 19, people in the United States celebrate a day known as Juneteenth, but many are still unaware of the reason for this naming and the significance of this day. Juneteenth, or June 19, commemorates the day in 1865 when the last slaves in the United States learned they were free. Although Abraham Lincoln, the then President of the United States, issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, this proclamation was not enforceable in many areas of the South until the end of the Civil War in 1865. Even after that, many white people who benefited from the unpaid labor of slaves did not inform them of this news. Juneteenth, a combination of the words June and nineteenth, is also called the celebration of freedom and the 'Second Independence Day' and began with the slaves of Galveston in Texas. On June 19, 1865, Major General Gordon Granger and his soldiers arrived in this city located on the Gulf of Mexico. This was more than two months after General Robert Lee of the Confederate Army surrendered to General Grant's forces in Virginia, thus initiating the end of the American Civil War. Upon arriving in Galveston, General Granger issued General Order No. 3, which stated: 'The people of Texas are informed that, according to a proclamation from the [President of the] United States, all slaves are free. This includes absolute equality of personal rights and property rights between former masters and slaves.' The order also specified: 'The relationship that has existed between masters and slaves is now that between employer and employee.' Six months later, when the state of Georgia ratified the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution, slavery was abolished forever in the United States. The people of Galveston have celebrated Juneteenth since the following year. According to the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, '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.' In this regard, 'Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.' Since then, African Americans have commemorated the end of one of the darkest chapters in U.S. history for generations by holding parades, street festivals, musical performances, and food festivals. In 2021, following public protests after the murder of George Floyd by police, President Joe Biden signed a law passed by Congress to establish June 19 as a federal holiday. This marked the first time in about 40 years that another day was designated as a federal holiday in the U.S., the last being Martin Luther King Jr. Day in 1983. Opal Lee, a former teacher and social activist, is recognized as a key figure in the movement that led to this day becoming a federal holiday. This 96-year-old woman, known as 'the little old lady with tennis shoes,' has vivid memories of music, food, and play during the Juneteenth celebrations in Texas and brought many celebrities and politicians with her when she came to Washington D.C. in 2016. She was also among those standing with Joe Biden during the signing of this law in 2021. Currently, celebrations are held in most states across the U.S., and state employees in Texas, New York, Virginia, and Nevada have paid leave on this day, with hundreds of companies granting their employees and workers time off. A movement has also begun to use this day for social service activities and education about inequalities and social needs. The business world, of course, profits from this holiday, with sales of T-shirts, ice cream, and party supplies booming. However, some of these commercial activities have sparked strong reactions and protests from social media users, as supporters of this celebration always strive to ensure that its true significance is not forgotten. Di Evans, the national communications director of the National Juneteenth Foundation, states: 'In 1776, the country was freed from the British, but not all people were free; June 19, 1865, was when all the people of the country were freed.' Para Agbuga, the coordinator of the George Washington Carver Museum site in Austin, Texas, believes: 'Our freedoms are fragile, and they can easily be rolled back.' This article was prepared using a report from the English section of Voice of America.