Juneteenth
[ joon-teenth ]
What does Juneteenth mean?
Juneteenth celebrates the emancipation (freeing) of enslaved people in Texas on June 19, 1865. The holiday more broadly commemorates the end of slavery in the U.S.
What is the history of Juneteenth?
On June 19th, 1865 in Galveston, Texas, Union soldiers proclaimed that the Civil War had ended (after General Lee’s surrender and the North won). They also announced that anyone enslaved was now emancipated and slavery was abolished. General Gordon Granger read aloud the following message (from the Texas State Library and Archives Commission):
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 quietly 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.
This was two years after Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which freed enslaved people in Confederate states, which included Texas. June 19 is historical, and has since been celebrated as Freedom Day or Emancipation Day, because it was the day the last of the enslaved people became aware of their freedom.
But why the two-year delay in giving enslaved people their freedom in Texas? A number of explanations have been put forth, ranging from a messenger delivering the news getting shot, to the news being deliberately withheld so enslavers could get one more cotton harvest. The likely story is that there weren’t that many Union troops in Texas to enforce Lincoln’s proclamation.
What did some newly freed Black Americans do after June 19, 1865? A lot of them moved North, because the North represented freedom and opportunity, as well as because many of their enslavers weren’t fully granting them their freedom.
The following year, formerly enslaved people celebrated this date, and their descendants continued to celebrate it. The term Juneteenth is a blend of the words June and nineteenth, and was officially recorded by 1890 in Galveston’s Daily News.
Examples of Juneteenth
On Juneteenth, we celebrate Black freedom, resilience, culture, and the enduring strength of community across generations. We acknowledge our nation’s full history and the long, ongoing fight for freedom and justice for Black Americans. As a United States Senator, I was proud to co-sponsor a bill to make this day a federal holiday. As Vice President of the United States, it was my honor to stand beside President Biden as he signed that bill into law. Today and every day, let us celebrate the heroes of this movement and the work that lies ahead.
How was your #Juneteenth? I hope you celebrated, danced, sang, ate well and enjoyed your family and friends my loves! I did! 💜💜💜💜
How is Juneteenth celebrated?
Celebrations consist of prayer, gathering, singing and dancing, and, for some, an annual pilgrimage back to Galveston, Texas. Guest speakers may present at bigger events held on the day, which may focus on themes of education and self-improvement as well as prayer. Many celebrations include a tradition of reading the Emancipation Proclamation.
Festivities notably include rodeos and baseball. Many foods and drinks are red in color (e.g., strawberry soda, barbecue, and red velvet cake). Red is said to represent the blood shed by enslaved people, and has also been connected to symbolism of the color in West Africa, where many enslaved people were taken from.
Juneteenth even has its own flag, which draws on the American and Texas flags.
On January 1, 1980, Texas declared Juneteenth an official state holiday. It has since become a much more recognized holiday as more and more states and institutions (such as the Smithsonian) began holding celebrations on the date. Juneteenth organizers use the occasion to promote knowledge and appreciation of Black history and culture. On June 17, 2021, President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act. With Biden’s signature, Juneteenth officially became a federal legal public holiday.
On Juneteenth, people reflect on the U.S.’ painful past while also celebrating the great achievements and impact of Black culture in the U.S. It’s also a day to think about how to continue promoting racial equality in the U.S.
The sitcom Black-ish notably aired an episode titled “Juneteenth” as its Season 4 premiere in 2017, showing that the holiday is featured in conversations and dialogue in the media.
🎵 We built this 🎵 #Juneteenth pic.twitter.com/fJYjUxIRYL
— black-ish (@blackishabc) June 19, 2018
NOTE
This is not meant to be a formal definition of Juneteenth like most terms we define on Dictionary.com, but is rather an informal word summary that hopefully touches upon the key aspects of the meaning and usage of Juneteenth that will help our users expand their word mastery.
