Written By: Jessica Robinson, Leave & Care Division and Member of BUILD Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day or Emancipation Day, commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans in the United States. The holiday’s origin story begins in Galveston, Texas, which, in 1865, was the western-most area of the Union. ![]() On June 19, 1865, Union troops arrived in Galveston with the news that more than 250,000 enslaved Black people in the state were free. This day came to be known as Juneteenth. Interestingly, these enslaved individuals had technically already been freed two-and-a-half years prior when President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on Jan. 1, 1863. However, slaveholders in Texas had kept this information to themselves, extending the period of violent exploitation of enslaved African Americans. The significance of Juneteenth Juneteenth is a time to celebrate, gather as a family, reflect on the past, and look to the future. It is considered the longest-running holiday in African American and Black communities. The holiday’s name is a combination of the words “June” and “nineteenth,” signifying the date when news of the Emancipation Proclamation reached enslaved people in Galveston. Juneteenth became a federal holiday in 2021, after the U.S. Congress passed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act. Celebrating Juneteenth Initially, Juneteenth was celebrated in family- and church-centered gatherings. Formerly enslaved individuals and their families would come together to commemorate this significant day. These early observances were heartfelt and intimate, emphasizing the joy of newfound freedom and the resilience of the African American community. Over the years, the informal holiday evolved into something more. Annual pilgrimages to Galveston Bay in Texas became a tradition. People would visit the site where Union troops arrived on June 19, 1865, to announce freedom to the enslaved population. These pilgrimages allowed people to connect with history and honor their ancestors’ struggles and triumphs. As Juneteenth spread across the South, it also became more commercialized in the 1920s and 1930s. Food festivals, music, and other public celebrations began to take center stage. The holiday transformed from private gatherings to community-wide events, emphasizing unity, pride, and cultural heritage. The recognition of Juneteenth as a federal holiday in the United States has signified its importance in acknowledging the legacy of slavery and celebrating African American culture and achievements. Whether you’re new to this information or someone looking to deepen their understanding, here are some ways to celebrate Juneteenth 1. Find an event in your community Check local listings for events happening near you. Here are a few: -BUILD’s 2024 Juneteenth celebration Open to all state employees June 14, 1:30 – 5:30 p.m., in-person and virtually Tivoli Fountain, Capitol Campus, Olympia For additional information, contact [email protected] -BEING’s Juneteenth celebration 2024 Open to all state employees June 13, 2 – 3:30 p.m., virtual event For additional information, contact [email protected] -Lacey’s 43rd Juneteenth Celebration June 15, 11:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. 8345 Steilacoom Road SE, Lacey Free BBQ, music, haircuts and connection. Optional: bring non-perishable food items for the Food Bank -A few Juneteenth events happening on June 19 around Seattle
- Juneteenth Celebration: A Road to Economic Freedom Community event open to all June 19, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. Stewart Heights Park 5715 Reginald Gutierrez Ln, Tacoma Find additional information on https://www.juneteenthwa.com/. 2. Cook traditional foods
3. Support Black-owned businesses
4. Listen to Black artists and/or Watch Black TV shows and movies
5. Read books written by Black authors and poets
Remember, Juneteenth is not just a celebration. It’s a call to action and a commitment to justice for all. Happy Juneteenth! Juneteenth serves as a powerful reminder of the resilience, strength and determination of African Americans who fought for freedom and equality. As we celebrate this historic day, let us continue to learn, reflect and work toward a more just and inclusive society. In celebration of Juneteenth Month, allow us to embark on a journey of cosmic proportions through the lives of extraordinary women from Washington State. These trailblazers have not only made indelible marks on the economic, social, political, and civic fabrics of our region but have done so with a fearless fervor that echoes through the corridors of history.
Like brilliant celestial bodies, they illuminated our path, ensuring the rights and liberties we cherish today. To these exceptional and inspirational women, we extend our profound gratitude, recognizing their monumental contributions to the ever-expanding universe of human endeavor and freedom. Link: On Juneteenth: Gordon-Reed, Annette: 9781631498831: Amazon.com: Books
The essential, sweeping story of Juneteenth’s integral importance to American history, as told by a Pulitzer Prize–winning historian and Texas native. Weaving together American history, dramatic family chronicle, and searing episodes of memoir, Annette Gordon-Reed’s On Juneteenth provides a historian’s view of the country’s long road to Juneteenth, recounting both its origins in Texas and the enormous hardships that African-Americans have endured in the century since, from Reconstruction through Jim Crow and beyond. All too aware of the stories of cowboys, ranchers, and oilmen that have long dominated the lore of the Lone Star State, Gordon-Reed―herself a Texas native and the descendant of enslaved people brought to Texas as early as the 1820s―forges a new and profoundly truthful narrative of her home state, with implications for us all. Combining personal anecdotes with poignant facts gleaned from the annals of American history, Gordon-Reed shows how, from the earliest presence of Black people in Texas to the day in Galveston on June 19, 1865, when Major General Gordon Granger announced the end of legalized slavery in the state, African-Americans played an integral role in the Texas story. Reworking the traditional “Alamo” framework, she powerfully demonstrates, among other things, that the slave- and race-based economy not only defined the fractious era of Texas independence but precipitated the Mexican-American War and, indeed, the Civil War itself. In its concision, eloquence, and clear presentation of history, On Juneteenth vitally revises conventional renderings of Texas and national history. As our nation verges on recognizing June 19 as a national holiday, On Juneteenth is both an essential account and a stark reminder that the fight for equality is exigent and ongoing. 2 black-and-white illustrations. PDF Below! ![]()
June 19 has always been a significant day in Opal Lee’s life. Not only was it the day that news of the Emancipation Proclamation reached her home state of Texas in 1865, but it was also the day in 1939 that a white mob burned down her family’s home. She was 12 years old.
This experience led her to advocate for the designation of Juneteenth as a federal holiday. For years, she gathered people together for 2.5-mile walks, representing the two-and-a-half years it took for the 250,000 enslaved Black people in Texas to learn they were free after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863. In 2019 she launched a petition hoping to gather 100,000 signatures—it garnered 1.6 million. “I keep advocating that ‘Each one of us teach one of us,’ because we know people at work, at church, in our meetings, that aren’t on the same page, and we can change their minds. I mean, if people can be taught to hate, they can be taught to love.” |
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