Juneteenth gets its origin from Galveston, Texas in 1865, acknowledging June 19th as African American Slavery Emancipation Day throughout the United States.
In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation announcing that all persons held as slaves within the Union States were considered free persons. However, for several years before that, the United States had been at odds regarding economic production. The Northern states had invested much of their economy into industrialization and modern technologies.
While, Southern states relied heavily on farming that produced commercial crops such as cotton, sugar, and tobacco where slaves were the laborers. Northern and Southern states noticed an uneven distribution of wealth in most Southern states, and the tension of the economy later resulted in the American Civil War.
The announcement of the Emancipation Proclamation only applied to states who had agreed with the United States government, therefore leaving those in the Confederate States with the ability to continue owning slaves. The Emancipation Proclamation did not initially end slavery in the United States; but captured the hearts and minds of millions of Americans, ultimately transforming the perspective on the Civil War. The Proclamation allowed for the acceptance of black men into the Union Army, causing the liberated to liberate. The Emancipation Proclamation became a historical document for human freedom.
It was not until the spring of 1865, two years after the announcement of the Emancipation Proclamation, Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas. Thus, signally the official abolishment of American slavery. Many enslavers withheld the information from the enslaved people until June 1865; 250,000 enslaved people in Texas were to be freed, thus creating Juneteenth.
How is this significant to all American people and not just those of African ancestry? The abolishment of slavery developed the 13th Amendment, which ultimately sought to establish equality for all Americans. Juneteenth is a significant part of U.S. history because it explains that at one period of time; so much of the U.S. economy depended on the enslavement of a particular group of people. It highlights how far we have come as a nation and will continue to go as we make strides for equality. It could also be considered a second Independence Day where all people are truly equal.
How are you celebrating Juneteenth? Let us know in the comments below.
