Some thoughts on #Juneteenth . The actual order issued by Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger on June 19, 1865 is a powerful teaching document. It captures the conflicting definitions of freedom between ex-slaves and white people and how this legacy is still with us. https://www.tsl.texas.gov/ref/abouttx/juneteenth.html

Let’s look at this quote first, that freedom involved “absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves.” All good in classic Lockean theory. But what does this mean for people only recently property themselves?

Former slaves knew that personal rights, both in terms of property and their bodies, had to first and foremost be coupled with the right to demand protection by the state. Still hasn't happened. I love using this Freedmen’s Bureau image to illustrate this tension.

Next, the idea that relationship between former slave and master “becomes that between employer and hired labor” and that freedpeople should “work for wages.” This is the imposition of Republican free labor ideology and desire to get the southern plantation economy up and running

However, this conflicted with desires of freedpeople for autonomy and self-sufficiency, meaning land ownership and withdrawing from the market economy. Instead, we get sharecropping, debt peonage and perpetuation of idea of black people as a subservient caste of menial laborers.

Last, the expectation of freedpeople to “remain quietly at their present homes” and that they “will not be supported in idleness.” Yikes.

For ex-slaves, arguably most important aspect of freedom was movement, leaving former plantations, looking for new jobs and searching for lost family. Black Codes were intended to stop this and, as @ava shows, become foundation for post Civil War policing and mass incarceration.

Lots of great commentary and historical perspective on #Juneteenth from @kcarterjackson @DainaRameyBerry @jbouie @nhannahjones @PenielJoseph @BriannaNHolt among many others. Celebrate today, but also read and remember that black people still are not free.

Adding @TeraWHunter @jelani9 @agordonreed to list of brilliant folks with must read pieces today.