New Delhi: Juneteenth is one of the most important holidays in the United States. Every year, it is celebrated on June 19 to commemorate the end of the inhuman practice of slavery in the US. It was named after the month of June and the date 19th, since it was on June 19, 1865, that the order of the final enforcement of the Emancipation Proclamation in Texas came from Major General Gordon Granger. However, it took place only in former Confederate states and even after its enforcement, legally enslaved people were in the US in those places that never seceded from the Union. They got their freedom till the 13th Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified on December 6, 1865.
The enforcement of the Emancipation Proclamation
On September 22, 1862, Abraham Lincoln, the President of the United States declared that the Emancipation Proclamation would be implemented on January 1, 1863. It brought freedom to people who were kept as slaves in the rebellious parts of Southern states of the Confederacy which included Texas. However, the process of enforcement was slow and inconsistent in other places which were still fighting the Union soldiers. Notably, on June 19, 1865, after the Union soldiers arrived in Galveston Texas the state’s residents finally learned about the abolition of slavery. The enslaved people, after knowing about their freedom, immediately began to celebrate with prayer, feasting, song, and dance.
On June 19, 1857, Texas witnessed the first official Juneteenth celebrations. It was done through prayer meetings and spiritual singing and former slaves wore new clothes which denoted their newfound freedom. Within a few years, African Americans in other states began to celebrate Juneteenth and it became an annual tradition. All over the US, celebrations of Juneteenth have continued well into the 21st century. Today, the celebrations generally encompass religious services and prayers, speeches, family gatherings, educational events, picnics, and festivals with food, music and dancing.
In 2021, the US made Juneteenth a federal holiday. It was the first federal holiday in the country since Martin Luther King Jr. Day which was adopted in 1983. The day is also celebrated outside the US, as organizations in several countries use the occasion to recognize the end of slavery and to pay homage to the achievements and culture of African Americans.
It was named after the month of June and the date 19th, since it was on June 19, 1865, that the order of the final enforcement of the Emancipation Proclamation in Texas came from Major General Gordon Granger. knowledge Knowledge News, Photos and Videos on General Knowledge
