Juneteenth Up Close
June 19th is the second year our nation will celebrate the federal holiday which marks the end of slavery in the United States.
While President Lincoln gave the Emancipation Proclamation in January 1863, which declared an end to slavery, the news slowly traveled across the country and finally on June 19th 1865 in Galveston Texas where the last slaves in the US were freed.
There are a number of theories about the two and a half year delay, Union Solders waiting for more troops, a messenger that was assassinated on their way to Texas to slave holders deliberately withholding the news.
In 1980 Juneteenth was made a state holiday in Texas.
In Galveston local celebrations culminate in a reenactment where General Order Number 3, a portion of the Emancipation Proclamation, is read aloud just as it was in various locations in 1863.
General Order Number 3: “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 personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them, becomes that between employer and hired labor. The Freedmen are advised to remain at their present homes, and work for wages. They are informed that they will not be allowed to collect at military posts; and that they will not be supported in idleness either there or elsewhere.”
Podcasts for Students to Learn about Racial Justice and Juneteenth
Check out our two new podcasts which highlight the challenges for communities of color.
Walking out for Racial Justice
Learn how students of color are speaking out against racism in their schools and communities and what advice they have to their school leaders about what they can do about it.
Mental Health in Communities of Color
In this podcast, you will hear about the toll systemic issues in our society have impacted communities of color. From police brutality to health care disparities, from targeted violence to inequity, Camesha Jones, social worker and founder of Sista Afya, is a beacon of hope and empowerment for Black Women.
