Juneteenth: Our Country's Second Independence Day

Juneteenth marks our country’s second Independence Day. Although it has long been celebrated in the African American community, this monumental event remains largely unknown to many Americans. Every year on June 19^th, we celebrate Juneteenth, a day that marks the end of slavery in the United States. On June 19, 1865, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed, Union Soldiers arrived in Galveston, TX to announce that enslaved African Americans were finally free.

After the emancipation proclamation was signed, union soldiers, many of whom were black, marched onto plantations and across cities in the south reading small copies of the Emancipation Proclamation spreading the news of freedom in Confederate States. Only through the Thirteenth Amendment did emancipation end slavery throughout the United States.

Despite the verbiage, the Emancipation Proclamation was limited. It applied only to states that had seceded from the United States, leaving slavery untouched in the local border states.  It also expressly exempted partes from the confederacy that had already come under Northern control. New Jersey, for instance, continued to enslave African Americans for six months after Juneteenth. 

The American Civil War did not end on one single day. It ended through a series of events culminating with General Robert E. Lee’s surrender at the Appomattox Courthouse in Virginia on April 9, 1865, which effectively ended the confederacy’s fighting force.

Juneteenth (June 19, 1865) commemorates the day that Union Major General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, TX and issued General Orders officially enforcing the Emancipation Proclamation.  This event occurred more than two years after President Lincoln’s decree and roughly two and a half months after the official end of the Civil War. 

Juneteenth is more than a historical milestone – it’s a celebration of freedom, resilience and hope.  It is a time to honor the courage and perseverance of those who endured unimaginable hardships while recognizing the lasting contributions of African Americans to our nation’s history, culture and future.

Communities across the state and all throughout the country are celebrating with events.  These celebrations provide the opportunity to reflect on the past and renew our commitment to equality and justice for all. 

By learning from history, supporting one another and working toward a more inclusive future, we honor the legacy of those who came before us. 

Happy Juneteenth! May we continue to celebrate freedom, embrace unity and inspire future generations.