On January 1, 1863 Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation proclaiming “that all persons held as slaves” within the rebellious states “are, and henceforward shall be free.”
There were a few problems with that:
- Lincoln’s proclamation said nothing about freeing those persons held in slavery in NORTHERN states.
- At that time, Lincoln had no authority over the Confederate states, which considered themselves an independent nation.
- No one told the enslaved people who lived in Texas.
So when the Confederate States lost the war and the Union government sent federal troops to occupy Texas, one of the first things Gen. Gordon Granger did when he landed in Galveston on June 19, 1865 (barely 2 months after the war ended) was to read the Emancipation Proclamation, belatedly bringing news of promised freedom to 250,000 enslaved people in Texas.
The event, now celebrated as “Juneteenth”, is a uniquely Texan holiday celebrated in many communities with ceremonies, picnics, and parades, but efforts in recent years made Juneteenth a national day of observance.
Juneteenth is a very important day which should be remembered and celebrated as a huge milestone. Some people may be confused about its significance because the day celebrates an event unique to Texas, but we’re happy to share.
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