Juneteenth 2024: Honor, Learn, and Celebrate

What's the story

• Today, Wednesday, June 19, marks the fourth annual federal observance and the 159th anniversary of Juneteenth, a day commemorating the end of slavery in the U.S.
• As stated by Juneteenth.com:

"Today Juneteenth commemorates African American freedom and emphasizes education and achievement...It is a time for reflection and rejoicing. It is a time for assessment, self-improvement and for planning the future...In cities across the country, people of all races, nationalities and religions are joining hands to truthfully acknowledge a period in our history that shaped and continues to influence our society today." 

The significance of Juneteenth

• On June 19, 1865, General Order Number 3 was issued by a Union general in Galveston, Texas, announcing the end of the Civil War achieved two months prior and the freedom of over 250,000 enslaved people in Texas. The order read:

"The people of Texas 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 becomes that between employer and hired labor."

• This day became known as Juneteenth, Emancipation Day, Freedom Day, or Juneteenth Independence Day. According to the Texas State Historical Association, the first celebrations of Juneteenth were also used as political rallies to spread information about voting rights. African Americans from Texas began moving to other states and brought the celebration of this significant day with them, and it has been commemorated primarily by Black communities every year since. 
• However, there remained obstacles in the path toward ending slavery and ensuring racial equality in America. 

An ongoing fight

• From 1863 to 1877, dubbed the "Reconstruction Era," some rights for African Americans were slowly established as the Civil War ended and former Confederate states reintegrated. Reconstruction era measures passed like the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments, the Civil Rights Act of 1866, and the Reconstruction Act of 1867. 
• But white legislators and police forces in the South, which included many former Confederate veterans and slaveholders, worked to curtail these advancements. Many African Americans were forced to continue working in a slavery-like system.
• Mississippi was the first to pass a set of laws called the Black Codes in 1865, which limited African Americans' ability to own or rent property, move freely, and become employed or leave a job once hired. These laws were punishable by means including forced unpaid labor, seizure of possessions, and the ability to take children and "apprentice" them. 
• After Reconstruction ended in 1877, such laws repressing African Americans in the South became increasingly common. They sought to segregate society racially and target voting rights during the Jim Crow era that lasted for decades.
• When recognizing Juneteenth, many point to this complicated story. Daina Ramey Berry, a professor at the University of Texas at Austin, told the New York Times:

"For me, as a historian, [Juneteenth] means celebrating African American freedom and African American restraints that are put upon us as a people. It is a moment where we celebrate gains and losses…when I think about Juneteenth as Emancipation Day, and I think about this moment, I feel like we still need to be emancipated. There are still more freedoms that need to be protected. There's still more laws that need to be revised. There's still more inclusion that needs to happen. There's still more achievement to be had. There's still more space for change and growth."

Becoming a federal holiday

• In 1980, Texas officially became the first state to recognize Juneteenth as a holiday.
• Opal Lee, known as the "Grandmother of Juneteenth," led a 1,400-mile walk from Fort Worth, Texas, to Washington, D.C, in 2016, and her petition to make Juneteenth a federal holiday garnered over a million signatures in 2020. Lee said:

"I want to see Juneteenth celebrations all over these United States and around the world… It's not a Black thing and it's not a Texas thing. It's for everybody and it's freedom for everyone."

• Lee and the millions who supported her were successful. Congress passed legislation designating Juneteenth as a federal holiday, and President Biden officially signed the bill into law on June 17, 2021. It was the first time the federal government had recognized a new national holiday since Martin Luther King Jr. Day in 1983.
• Many states have yet to follow suit in designating Juneteenth as a paid holiday, and the date is still relatively unknown to some Americans. A 2021 Gallup survey reported that more than 60% of Americans know "nothing at all" or only "a little bit" about Juneteenth. 
• Some companies have received backlash for promoting insensitive products and capitalizing off the holiday rather than supporting education.

Ways to commemorate and take action

• Check out the National Juneteenth Observance Foundation, which promotes educational programming about Juneteenth's history, or any number of organizations dedicated to issues facing Black communities today.
• Seek educational resources by visiting a museum on Black history and significant figures—this website has lists of museums by city and state. The National Museum of African American History and Culture has online resources such as a Juneteenth reading list, educational materials for children, and a social media toolkit to promote the holiday.
• Support a Black-owned business in your area, or check out Black Owned Everything, an online website for Black businesses to shop.

Activities and events this weekend

• If your city or state isn't listed here, search online for Juneteenth events in your area.
• Here are lists of events happening in Austin, Texas, northern California, Nashville, Tennessee, and Los Angeles. 
• Check out these activities planned in New Orleans, New York City, and the Bay Area. 
• The D.C. area will have various events, including music performances, parades, and walking tours.