Step Up recognizes the importance and significance Juneteenth had on United States history. Juneteenth gets its origin from Galveston, Texas in 1865, acknowledging June 19th as African American Slavery Emancipation Day throughout the United States. However, 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.
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.
The abolishment of slavery developed the 13th Amendment, which ultimately sought to establish equality for all Americans. The 13th Amendment ultimately recognized all peoples to have the right to liberty, freedom, and privacy within the United States. Juneteenth is a significant part of U.S. history because it highlights a significant period in our nation’s history of human rights. Equality for all is something our nation has always been proud of. As Juneteenth is two weeks before July 4th it could also be considered another Independence Day, calling for all people to be truly recognized as equal.
How are you celebrating Juneteenth? Let us know in the comments below.
