While President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation on September 22, 1862 and freed most slaves on January 1, 1863, slaves in the state of Texas weren't informed of their freedom until mid-June in the year 1865, after the Civil War had ended. June 19, spelled "June Teenth" or "Juneteenth", has evolved into a holiday celebrated in many states to mark the abolition of slavery and the true emancipation of all slaves. While Juneteenth is popular throughout much of the south, it's not well known in the north. What is this holiday and why is it so significant?
Juneteenth Celebration After Civil War
Memorialized in fiction by the late Ralph Ellison in his book, Juneteenth, and recognized by 36 states and Washington D.C., June teenth celebrates the day that slaves in Texas and parts of Oklahoma learned they were free from slavery. Although 70 percent of the states recognize June 19th as a historically significant day, Juneteenth only recently gained in popularity after a dramatic decline in observance from the early 20th century through the 1980s.
Juneteenth's roots begin in Galveston, Texas. On June 19, 1865 Texas issued General Order Number 3, which states:
"The people are informed that in accordance with a Proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property, between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them, become that between employer and hired labor. The freed are advised to remain at their present homes, and work for wages. They are informed that they will not be allowed to collect at military posts; and that they will not be supported in idleness either there or elsewhere."
Until this day slaves in Texas were unaware of former President Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation, set into law two and a half years prior. The abolition of slavery and emancipation was met with great rejoicing and celebration, leading to an informal annual celebration among many communities with African American residents. Out of this informal tradition came Juneteenth.
Freedom Day and June Teenth
Juneteenth has been celebrated with a host of activities, and no two celebrations are alike. Common events at festivals include:
- The reading of the Emancipation Proclamation
- Beauty pageants crowing a "Miss Juneteenth"
- Singing of traditional music once sung by slaves
- Poetry recitation by African-American poets
- Historical re-enactments
- Bar-be-que with traditional southern cuisine
- Sports
- Dancing
In much of the south, notably Florida, the holiday is celebrated by people of color, often including those with mixed ethnic heritage, including Native American ancestry. As documented by Kevin Mulroy in his book Freedom on the Border, Juneteenth parades and festivals are attended by those who also celebrate Seminole Day in September each year.
Will Congress Recognize Abolition of Slavery and Emancipation as a National Holiday?
The National Juneteenth Observance Foundation works to promote Juneteenth as a national holiday and to reinforce local traditions and celebrations. Since 1994 the organization has fought to convince the U.S. Congress to declare June 19 a national holiday. In 1997 Congress declared June 19 "Juneteenth Independence Day" but has not, as of 2010, declared the day a national day of observance.
A note to teachers and homeschoolers: Finding Juneteenth lesson plans can be a bit frustrating, as Freedom Day tends to be a regional holiday rather than a national one. Juneteenth is a significant aspect of Civil War history, though, and incorporating printable worksheets, area museums and landmarks, slavery-related movies and documentaries, and Civil War history into June 19, 1865 study is crucial for proper analysis and understanding of events.
Look for Civil War lesson plans related to Texas and Oklahoma. Print and online lesson plans help to round out any unit on Juneteenth, while the official curriculum for Oklahoma and Texas state history is one of the leading sources of emancipation lesson plan materials.
References:
Ellison, Ralph. Juneteenth. Vintage Books, 2000.
Mulroy, Kevin. Freedom on the Border: The Seminole Maroons in Florida, the Indian Territory, Coahuila, and Texas. Texas Tech University Press, 2003.
Taylor, Charles A. Juneteenth: A Celebration of Freedom. Open Hand Publishers, 2002.
Melanie Zoltan - Melanie Zoltan is a former college professor and administrator who has written for About.com, PCWorld, Brain Child, Thomson Gale, and ...
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