THE HISTORY OF JUNETEENTH ON JULY 4th

Juneteenth commemorates the ending of slavery in the United States. 

On July 4th it is appropriate to remember that our July 4th celebrations are connected to American white people's freedom from other white people in Great Britain, dating back to 1776.

Some of black people's freedom from American white people dates back to 1863 because in 1862 President Abraham Lincoln, who was NOT an abolitionist, realized that the slaves abandoning plantations and running behind Union lines during the Civil War was weakening the south.

President Lincoln made the Emancipation Proclamation official on January 1, 1863 for black people living in southern Civil War states only. This military decision was done to encourage even more slaves to run behind Union lines in hopes this would end the war more quickly.

Slavery wouldn't be ended for all blacks in the United States until Lincoln  --his views on race and equality still in flux and/or evolving-- signed the 13th Amendment on January 1, 1865.

Blacks in some areas of the country wouldn't find out about the Emancipation Proclamation or the 13th Amendment for months later. it's reported that the blacks in Gaslveston, Texas weren't notified until June of 1865.

feeling rebloggy

[In the year] 1865, it was on June 19^ththat the Union soldiers, led by Major General Gordon Granger, landed at Galveston, Texas with news that the war had ended and that the enslaved were now free.

Note that this was two and a half years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation - which had become official January 1, 1863.

The Emancipation Proclamation had little impact on the Texans due to the minimal number of Union troops to enforce the new Executive Order. However, with the surrender of General Lee in April of 1865, and the arrival of General Granger’s regiment, the forces were finally strong enough toinfluence and overcome the resistance.

Later attempts to explain this two and a half year delay in the receipt of this important news have yielded several versions that have been handed down through the years.:

1. Often told is the story of a messenger who was murdered on his way to Texas with the news of freedom. 
2. Another, is that the news was deliberately withheld by the enslavers to maintain the labor force on the plantations. 
3. And still another, is that federal troops actually waited for the slave owners to reap the benefits of one last cotton harvest before going to Texas to enforce the Emancipation Proclamation. 

All of which, or neither of these versions could be true. Certainly, for some, President Lincoln's authority over the rebellious states was in question For whatever the reasons, conditions in Texas remained status quo well beyond what was statutory.

One of General Granger’s first orders of business was to read to the people of Texas, General Order Number 3 which began most significantly with: 

"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 free laborer."

The reactions to this profound news ranged from pure shock to immediate jubilation. While many lingered to learn of this new employer to employee relationship, many left before these offers were completely off the lips of their former 'masters' - attesting to the varying conditions on the plantations and the realization of freedom. 

Even with nowhere to go, many felt that leaving the plantation would be their first grasp of freedom. North was a logical destination and for many it represented true freedom, while the desire to reach family members in neighboring states drove the some into Louisiana, Arkansas and Oklahoma.

Settling into these new areas as free men and women brought on new realities and the challenges of establishing a heretofore non-existent status for black people in America. 

Recounting the memories of that great day in June of 1865 and its festivities would serve as motivation as well as a release from the growing pressures encountered in their new territory.

The celebration of June 19^th was coined "Juneteenth" and grew with more participation from descendants. The Juneteenth celebration was a time for reassuring each other, for praying and for gathering remaining family members. Juneteenth continued to be highly revered in Texas decades later, with many former slaves and descendants making an annual pilgrimage back to Galveston on this date.

~JUNETEENTH.COM 

read more 

http://www.juneteenth.com/history.htm

As African Americans, I think we should celebrate freedom beginning on June 19th and ending on July 4th.. While white people only declared freedom for themselves on July 4th, it is a celebration of forming this country. Juneteenth is too as Juneteenth is the United States taking steps toward living up to the ideals in the constitution.

I think July 4th is a perfect day to pray that the United States will continue on its journey toward treating all citizens as equal.

Maybe one day, there will be a series of freedom days where we get to hear about the history of not only black freedom in the U.S. but  Chinese, Puerto Rican and a whole host of other ethnicites too.

Everybody's story of becoming free after whites became free on July 4th is different. And for some who still live in Unites States territories (colonies?) like Puerto Rico the battle for freedom and equality and equal representation in our federal government still isn't over.