Juneteenth

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What Juneteenth Means to My Black Jewish Family

I have always been interested in genealogy, but having children made me more invested than ever in unearthing my family’s stories. I wanted to show my children what “biracial” really meant, piecing together their father’s Scottish and Russian Jewish ancestry with my Black Arkansas and San Francisco roots. At the same time, I felt the need to bolster what “Black” really meant. My husband could point to the specific villages his forebears left behind. How far back could I trace my own, formerly enslaved, ancestors?

https://www.kveller.com/what-juneteenth-means-to-my-black-jewish-family/?

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Abolition of slavery announced in Texas on “Juneteenth”

In what is now known as Juneteenth, on June 19, 1865, Union soldiers arrive in Galveston, Texas with news that the Civil War is over and slavery in the United States is abolished. 

https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/abolition-of-slavery-announced-in-texas-juneteenth?

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Why Should Christians Celebrate Juneteenth?

Juneteenth is a holiday that celebrates the freedom of those who were held in bondage to slavery. It is also known as Jubilee Day, Emancipation Day, and Freedom Day.

https://www.crosswalk.com/special-coverage/racism/why-should-christians-celebrate-juneteenth.html?

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Juneteenth: A Visual History

In June 1865, Major General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, along with 2,000 federal troops, to occupy the former Confederate state. On June 19, Gen. Granger issued several general orders—among them, orders that declared the state government of Texas illegitimate, that Confederate soldiers and officials must report for parole, and that cotton was to be bought and sold with government oversight. General Order No. 3 pertained to the institution of slavery in Texas.

https://texashighways.com/travel-news/the-history-of-juneteenth-in-photos/?

National Archives Safeguards Original ‘Juneteenth’ General Order

WASHINGTON, June 19, 2020 — On June 19, 1865, two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln’s historic Emancipation Proclamation, U.S. Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger issued General Order No. 3, which informed the people of Texas that all enslaved people were now free. Granger commanded the Headquarters District of Texas, and his troops had arrived in Galveston the previous day.

https://www.archives.gov/news/articles/juneteenth-original-document?

The Juneteenth Flag: The History Behind Its Colors and Symbols

It's red, white, and blue—and a proud symbol of African American history. Meet the Juneteenth flag.

https://www.rd.com/article/juneteenth-flag/?

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New attention for enslavement sites

As America honors Juneteenth, historic sites of enslavement and emancipation are getting new attention — and funding for preservation — after years of neglect, Axios' Russell Contreras reports.

• Why it matters: Increased attention to Juneteenth, and the racial reckoning after George Floyd's murder in 2020, has led cities and states to rethink how they recall painful American chapters, including slavery.

What's happening: Hundreds of historic sites from Massachusetts to Texas offer windows into enslaved people's lives. Yet they vary in status — with some sitting abandoned, or absent from visitor guides.

• Some places, including Oatlands Plantation in Leesburg, Va., have become popular venues for weddings, even though they once were sites of harsh treatment and violence against enslaved people.
• Sites along an Underground Railroad route from Texas and Louisiana to Mexico are being developed by the National Park Service.

The backstory: The push to recognize places that were part of unflattering episodes in U.S. history has faced years of resistance — especially from local historic commissions.

• Popular tourist attractions, including Thomas Jefferson's Monticello and James Madison's Montpelier, have added physical reminders about slavery, after pressure from descendants of those who were enslaved.
• Destinations now offer special tours, host lectures and have erected exhibits honoring enslaved people who lived on the sites.

🔮 What's next: Pressure and new funding from public and private entities are rising to include the voices of enslaved people at sites.

• Keep reading.

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Juneteenth grows as paid day off

Illustration: Lindsey Bailey/Axios

Two years after Juneteenth became the 11th federal holiday, more companies are giving their employees the day off, and a growing number of states are recognizing it as a public holiday, Axios' Kelly Tyko reports. At least 28 states and Washington, D.C. are legally recognizing Juneteenth as a public holiday this year with government offices closed, according to a Pew Research Center analysis. New data from the Mercer consulting firm found 39% of private employers have made Juneteenth a paid company holiday — up from 33% in 2022, and a huge jump from 9% in 2021. Keep reading.

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Sen. Josh Hawley Shares His Mindblowingly Stupid Thoughts on Juneteenth

"Today is a good day to remember: Christianity is the faith and America is the place slavery came to die," the Missouri senator tweeted. Who's gonna tell him?

https://jezebel.com/sen-josh-hawley-shares-his-mindblowingly-stupid-though-1850553959?

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Pilot Club member honored as 2023 Juneteenth Hometown Hero

Nancy Lawrence is an associate professor with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

https://www.observerlocalnews.com/news/2023/jun/23/pilot-club-member-honored-as-2023-juneteenth-hometown-hero/

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Andrews Alum Authors Kids’ Book About Juneteenth

Andrews University alumnus Garrison Hayes has partnered with publisher A Kids Co. to write a new book for kids explaining the history of Juneteenth. The package for kids comes with a free eBook, activity sheet, and discussion guide. According to the publisher’s website, the book “delves into the historical journey that led to the end of slavery in the United States on June 19, 1865,” and “provides a powerful exploration of the past and its impact on our present.”

https://atoday.org/andrews-alum-authors-kids-book-about-juneteenth/

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Vivek Ramaswamy calls Juneteenth 'useless' 2 months after posting a video celebrating it

The GOP presidential candidate also said it was "redundant" and that it overlapped with other holidays, like Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Presidents Day.

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/vivek-ramaswamy-calls-juneteenth-useless-rcna98428?

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Juneteenth 2024

Juneteenth events

Illustration: Lindsey Bailey/Axios

Washingtonians will be busy celebrating Juneteenth this Wednesday, thanks to a packed lineup of events. The big picture: The holiday commemorates the 1865 day when enslaved Black people in Galveston, Texas, received news of their freedom — more than two months after the Civil War ended. Here are some ways to celebrate around D.C.: 🎆 Scotland Juneteenth Heritage Festival: As part of the dayslong festival hosted by Scotland AME Zion Church, Wednesday will be stacked with activities: a 5K race, a children's Caribbean festival, a parade, and a nighttime fireworks show. Events take place across sites in Potomac and Rockville; times and prices vary. 🎭 We Move in Color: See and Feel the Journey: This immersive show uses techniques like African drumming, poetry, multimedia art, and dance to chronicle the African American journey from before slavery up to Afro-futurism. Check it out at the Kennedy Center's Millennium Stage at 6pm. Tickets are free but require registration and are limited. 🎵 Juneteenth Freedom Celebration: The Anacostia Community Museum will host a day of food trucks and live music, with performances by groups like DuPont Brass, Noochie, and CuzzinB. The event takes place at the museum from 10am to 5pm — it's free to attend, but registration is encouraged. More events

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City of Deltona marks first Juneteenth celebration with installation of MLK bust

The City of Deltona plans to celebrate its first official Juneteenth commemoration as a municipality with the unveiling of a bronze bust honoring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. This event, set for 11 a.m. Wednesday, will take place at the Center at Deltona, located at 1640 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

https://local.newsbreak.com/deltona-fl/3494250853131-city-of-deltona-marks-first-juneteenth-celebration-with-installation-of-mlk-bust?

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Grandmother of Juneteenth returns home

Civil rights icon Opal Lee holds a Presidential Medal of Freedom and several honorary doctorates, including from SMU. Photo: Courtesy of Trinity Habitat for Humanity

Eighty-five years ago this week, Opal Lee's family home in Fort Worth was terrorized by a racist mob. Her family had to relocate to another home a few blocks away. At 97, Lee has returned home. Why it matters: Lee is a civil rights icon and a driving force behind the creation of the Juneteenth federal holiday. Grapevine-based HistoryMaker Homes and Dallas-based Texas Capital worked with Trinity Habitat for Humanity to build Lee a new house on the same lot her family was forced to abandon in 1939. Driving the news: The house was completed within three months, in time for Juneteenth. Lee, who was living elsewhere in Fort Worth, received the house keys on Friday. Lee received her house keys last week. Photo: Courtesy of Trinity Habitat for Humanity The intrigue: The house is 1,300 square feet with three bedrooms, along with a built-in study. Texas Capital, HistoryMaker Homes and their vendors helped pay for the house and its furnishings, which Lee selected. Some Lee family mementos are embedded into the concrete of the house. They include a dress that belonged to Lee's mother. Volunteers stocked the fridge and pantry just days before Lee moved in. What she's saying: "I don't know how to describe it. It's wonderful, like a bit of heaven," she told Axios on Friday, rocking in a chair on her new porch. The bottom line: "Give people their roses while they can still smell them," said Renee Toliver, a Fort Worth judge and Lee's granddaughter. "We wanted her to know how much she was loved." What's next: Lee plans to invite her friends and neighbors to a housewarming party at the new house. Opal Lee's toothbrush 📜 Juneteenth museum dream closer to reality     The National Juneteenth Museum will commemorate the holiday all year long when it opens in a few years. Rendering: Courtesy of Bjarke Ingels Group and KAI Enterprises   Opal Lee wants Americans to commemorate Juneteenth long after she's gone. She's working with local and national civil rights advocates to open a National Juneteenth Museum in Fort Worth in 2026. The big picture: Located in Fort Worth's Southside Historic District, the 50,000-square-foot museum will include an amphitheater and food hall. It will host guest lectures, community events and performances. Museum officials tell Axios they have raised half of the $70 million they need. The latest: Trinity Habitat for Humanity plans to build 100 homes over the next five years in Lee's honor, Trinity Habitat CEO Gage Yager announced at Lee's homecoming last week. Companies, organizations and individuals will be able to sponsor the homes for $180,000 as a "Dr. Opal Lee Legacy Builder." Ten percent of the sponsorship money will be donated to the National Juneteenth Museum project. Texas Capital, which helped build Lee's new house, has offered to be the first sponsor. Lee gasped, then smiled when she heard the news on Friday. Flashback: The Southside neighborhood, a historically underserved part of Fort Worth, highlights the inequities that many predominantly Black neighborhoods across the country have endured. The construction of Interstate 35W in the 1960s divided Fort Worth's neighborhoods, leading to neglect and divestment. Zoom out: Several museums dedicated to African American history touch on Juneteenth. But the National Juneteenth Museum will focus on the holiday, with "stories of freedom of the enslaved to modern-day liberation." What's next: The group building the museum is still accepting donations.

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🗺️ Mapped: History behind Juneteenth

Source: Library of Congress, Wikimedia Commons, The American Nation Harper & Brothers, 1904. Map: Lindsey Bailey/Axios Visuals 159 years ago today, Union Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger delivered General Order No. 3 in Galveston, Texas, which declares: "The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free." The order came two months after the Civil War ended (and President Lincoln was shot) — and two years after President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation. Go deeper.

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The beginner’s guide to celebrating Juneteenth Since it was designated a federal holiday in 2021, Juneteenth has become more universally recognized beyond Black America. But people who never gave the June 19 holiday more than a passing thought may ask themselves, is there a “right” way to celebrate Juneteenth? For beginners and those brushing up on history, here are some answers. Read more.

What to know: Is Juneteenth a solemn day of remembrance or a party: It just depends on what you want. Juneteenth festivities are rooted in cookouts and barbecues. Others may choose to treat Juneteenth as a day of rest and remembrance by doing community service, attending an education panel, or taking time off.   What kind of public Juneteenth events are happening: You can expect festivals, concerts, and fashion shows. There are also plenty of organizations and universities hosting panels on Juneteenth’s history. And, for the first time since Juneteenth was federally recognized, the National Park Service is making entry into all sites free on the holiday, meaning several parks will host Juneteenth commemorations.   Celebrating Juneteenth when you aren’t Black: Dr. Karida Brown, a sociology professor at Emory University, said there’s no reason to feel awkward about wanting to recognize Juneteenth just because you have no personal ties or you’re not Black. In fact, embrace it. “If you want to bring some authenticity to your recognition of Juneteenth, educate yourself … That goes longer than a celebration,” Dr. David Anderson, a Black pastor and CEO of Gracism Global, said.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Opal Lee gets keys to her new Texas home 85 years after a racist mob drove her family from that lot   What we know about the lawsuit filed by the last survivors of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre   Jazz, justice and Juneteenth: Wynton Marsalis and Bryan Stevenson join forces to honor Black protest

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Juneteenth gaining as a state holiday

By Delano Massey

Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios

Juneteenth, a once-obscure day commemorating the emancipation of enslaved people in Texas, has slowly gained official recognition across more states following the murder of George Floyd. The big picture: Its growth comes even as some states try to limit the discussion of enslavement in public schools and resist official recognition of Juneteenth. The federal holiday is officially recognized in 29 states and Washington, D.C. All 50 states acknowledge the holiday and many receive a paid day off or can use it as a floating holiday. Driving the news: Last month, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear designated Juneteenth as a holiday for state executive branch workers, becoming the latest to recognize Juneteenth officially. Flashback: President Biden signed legislation in 2021 establishing Juneteenth as a federal holiday, the first declared since Martin Luther King Jr. Day was created in 1983. Context: Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, the day Union Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger rode into Galveston, Texas, with word that President Abraham Lincoln had signed the Emancipation Proclamation more than two years before. The New York Times' 1619 Project sparked controversy in 2019 surrounding discussions about race, particularly regarding enslavement. Efforts to recognize Juneteenth intensified following Floyd's killing during the 2020 summer of unrest. Recent book bans in the U.S. have disproportionately focused on titles about race and the experiences of people of color. What they're saying: Jesse Holland, associate director at The George Washington University's School of Media and Public Affairs, tells Axios that celebrating Juneteenth recognizes the positive fact that slavery ended while also acknowledging the negative reality that slavery once existed. "The more we know about history, the more we can avoid these situations in the future. Those who know their history are least likely to repeat it," he said. Mapped: From the Emancipation Proclamation to Juneteenth By Lindsey Bailey   Source: Library of Congress, Wikimedia Commons, The American Nation Harper & Brothers, 1904; Map: Lindsey Bailey/Axios Visuals Juneteenth commemorates the day when enslaved Black people in Galveston, Texas, learned they were free 2½ years after the passing of the Emancipation Proclamation. Why it matters: At the end of the Civil War, Texas' enslaved Black people had yet to obtain freedom. Zoom out: By the start of the Civil War in 1861, most of the Union had abolished slavery. Vermont became the first colony to emancipate its Black slaves in 1777. Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, and New Jersey introduced gradual abolition from 1780 to 1804, leading to full emancipation by 1865. Slavery was abolished in the federal territories in 1862. President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on Jan. 1, 1863. Between the lines: Enforcement of the Proclamation was neither instantaneous nor easy in the Confederacy. The Proclamation wasn't enforced in slaveholding border states such as Missouri and Maryland or in Union-occupied Tennessee. Union victories, recruitment of contraband Black men and women, and direct intervention by soldiers were some of the many ways the Proclamation was enforced. Zoom in: By the end of the war, Texas' estimated 250,000 enslaved people remained out of the Proclamation's reach. On June 19, 1865, Union Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger ordered the final enforcement of the Emancipation Proclamation in Galveston, Texas. Soon after, his General Order No. 3 circulated in newspapers and through word of mouth to freed slaves across Texas. Go deeper Juneteenth's growing popularity spurs commercial boom By Russell Contreras     Michael Simpliss sells his wares at the Leimert Park Juneteenth Festival in Los Angeles in 2022. Photo: Gary Coronado/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images   Juneteenth is now a federal holiday, and like all other holidays, it can be a chance to make a few dollars — a trend that worries advocates. The big picture: From Juneteenth sales of makeup products to department store specials, some fear the holiday's message could be lost like Memorial Day in a sea of mattress discounts. State of play: The rapid commercialization of Juneteenth comes as some states pass laws limiting the discussion about enslavement in public schools and as some GOP lawmakers press for the return of Confederate monuments. Zoom in: Long before it became a trendy day elsewhere, Juneteenth was celebrated in Houston and Galveston to commemorate General Order No. 3. Context: The popularity of Juneteenth and the racial reckoning after George Floyd's murder in 2020 led several cities and states to rethink how they commemorate difficult chapters of American history, including slavery. Yes, but: The celebrations saw vendors coming out to hawk Juneteenth-themed shirts, earrings, flags, bandanas, jewelry and toys. "The language of the United States is money and capitalism," Augusta, Georgia-based criminal defense attorney Keith B. Johnson tells Axios. The intrigue: Commercialization goes beyond Juneteenth and even seeks to make money off the story of enslavement. Case in point: CNBC Business News senior editor Lori Ann LaRocco recently wrote a book with her daughter, Abby Wallace, on four Black families and their links to enslavement. She says proceeds will fund a college book stipend for descendants of enslaved people. The bottom line: By becoming a federal holiday and moving away from its epicenter, it risks transforming into another day off with passing references to enslavement while searching for a deal on a new dishwasher. Go deeper

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What Is Juneteenth?

Dating back to June 19, 1865, Juneteenth was the first holiday to honor the day enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas, were declared free. Many centuries later, participants all over the United States and beyond call a stance for remembrance, acknowledging more than just those freed in 1865. 

https://www.crosswalk.com/special-coverage/racism/what-is-juneteenth.html?

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🕶️ Juneteenth gains in popularity (and profit)

AP reporter Darren Sands spots his great-great-great-great grandfather Hewlett Sands, among U.S. Colored Troops soldiers on the African American Civil War Memorial in Washington. Photo: Mark Schiefelbein/AP (Read the story) Like all other federal holidays, Juneteenth can be a chance to make a few dollars — a trend that worries advocates, Axios' Russell Contreras reports. Why it matters: From Juneteenth sales of makeup products to department store specials, the holiday's message could be lost, like Memorial Day's regular mattress discounts. 💡Context: The rapid commercialization of Juneteenth comes as some states pass laws limiting the discussion about enslavement in public schools, and as some GOP lawmakers press for the return of Confederate monuments. The popularity of Juneteenth and the racial reckoning after George Floyd's murder in 2020 led several cities and states to rethink how they commemorate difficult chapters of American history, including slavery. Catch up quick: This is the third year Juneteenth has been a national holiday since President Biden signed legislation in 2021. It commemorates June 19, 1865 — the day Union Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger rode into Galveston, Texas, with word the Emancipation Proclamation had been signed by President Lincoln more than two years before. Keep reading. Data: Mercer. Chart: Axios Visuals Reality check: The growth of Juneteenth as a paid day off for private companies has stalled three years after it became a federal holiday, Axios' Kelly Tyko writes from a Mercer survey. 41% of employers with 500+ employees made Juneteenth a paid holiday this year, Mercer tells us. That's up from 39% last year — and just 9% in 2021. Keep reading.