Happy Juneteenth!

Learn the origins of the holiday as you celebrate today...

You already knew this was coming...

[History Thread]

On January 1, 1863 President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. This *freed all* Slaves in the United States.

However, word didn't get to Texas until 1865 when Gen. Lee surrendered in April.

There's several theories why Texas didn't get the news in time.

Theory 1: The initial messenger was murdered.

Theory 2: Union Troops let Slaveholders have one last cotton harvest.

Theory 3: Slaveholders were like "Y'all hear sum?" and simply ignored the news since TX was an isolated state.

My Theory: All of the damn above.

Today in 1865, General Gordon Granger pulls up to Texas 2,000 deep. At this point the South didn't want smoke, so they were occupied immediately.

Granger went to the balcony of the Ashton Villa in Galveston, TX and read the General Order No.3.

I'm gonna paraphrase...

"Listen the hell up, Texas!

Seems y'all didn't get the memo, but ALL slaves are free, b.

This means these negroes now have the SAME rights as you. Yes, you, Jeb.

However, we do advise you negroes to stay put and work on the plantation for a salary.

Don’t come to us for help."

Just like the Real Ones they were, most of the slaves FLED before Granger even finished his first sentence.

All they NEEDED to hear was “You’re fre—“ and they IMMEDIATELY left.

The former Slaves left to find family and opportunity.

They were like...

This is America, so of course there were problems.

Texan Slaveholders, enraged about losing their free labor, started executing freed Black People.

Not only that, due to segregation, Blacks were limited in where and how they could celebrate their freedom.

In 1866, the first Juneteenth celebration took place.

Parades, Picnics, Speeches, Baseball Games, Rodeos, Galas, and much more.

The oldest survivors of Slavery were honored every year.

The Juneteenth celebrations were also used to find family members who were lost.

To combat the racist segregation laws, a group of former slaves pooled $800 to buy 10 acres of land in Houston.

They named it Emancipation Park and it still stands today. It recently underwent a $33.5 Million renovation led by Black American architect, Phil Freelon.

For many years, the former slaves would congregate on the land every year to celebrate their freedom.

By 1900, Black Texans celebrated Juneteenth more than the 4th of July (MESSAGE!).

Unfortunately, as time went on, Black American interest in Juneteenth waned.

Today we celebrate the liberation of our people.

We celebrate their strength, power, and resilience.

We celebrate their God given right to FREEDOM!

If you were never hip to Juneteenth, that's fine. Today is the perfect day to start learning.

Turn up for the Ancestors today!