For those that don’t know, the history of Juneteenth, it originated in Galveston, Texas in 1865, observing June 19th as African American emancipation day. Two and a half years after Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation of 1863, Union soldiers landed at Galveston, Texas with news that the war had ended and the enslaved were free.
Even after, Major General Gordon Granger, landed at Galveston, Texas with news that the war had ended and that the enslaved were now free. The news 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 to influence and overcome the resistance.
What Took so Long?
To this day, no one can really explain why it took 2 and half years for Texans to recieve the news of freedom. However, there has been several notions throughout the years, like the messager was killed on his way to Texas, federal troops allowed slave owners to get one last harvest and another notion was, the message was withheld by slave owners to keep free labor on their plantations. Whether any of this was true or not, Texas remained in slavery way too long. Juneteenth as a holiday in Texas was celebrated soon thereafter, although it was frequently met with resistance by local cities.
When did Slavery End in the U.S.
June 19, 1865 is considered by many to be the official date that slavery ended in the U.S. since Texas was the last state to learn of the surrender of the Confederacy. Juneteenth is now observed or recognized in more than 30 states, including states as far from Texas as Alaska and Vermont.
