GREENSBORO, N.C. — Today is Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day, the oldest known celebration of the end of slavery in the United States. The date marks the emancipation of Black Africans cruelly enslaved for centuries in America.
The celebration originates in Galveston, Texas, the last stronghold of chattel slavery in the Confederacy, were enslaved African-Americans were oblivious to their Emancipation two years earlier. Under the leadership of Major-General Gordon Granger, Union troops arrived at Galveston with news that the Civil War had ended and the enslaved were now free.
Although the Emancipation Proclamation was made on January 1, 1983, the freedom of the slaves was contingent upon the Union winning the war. Thus emancipation could not be effectively enforced in the 11 Confederate states until the war itself ended with the surrender of General Robert E. Lee and his Confederate troops to the Union's Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House, Virginia on April 9, 1865
On June 19th, 1865, more than 2 years after the Emancipation Proclamation, Granger delivered General Order No. 3 to the slaves in Galveston and it reads:
"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."
Later on December 18, 1865, the 13th Amendment was later adopted on December 18, 1865, officially abolishing slavery. However, the transition the freedom, and life, in general, was challenging for many freed black people due to aggression from the white population in the post-war South, the Reconstruction years, and well into the 19th century Jim Crow and Civil Rights Eras.
However, in the year that followed Granger's news and the adoption of the 13th amendment, the freed slaves of Galveston began celebrating Juneteenth.
In modern days, Juneteethn is not only observed by Black people in America but also black people in parts of Mexico, known as Mascagos.
The Mascogos are descendants of Black Seminoles, who escaped from the brutal U.S. slavery around 1852 and settled in Coahuila, Mexico. Although not yet a nationally recognized holiday, Juneteeth is now marked in some manner in 46 states and Washington DC, as well as countries like South Korea, Ghana, Israel, Taiwan, France, and the U.S. territory of Guam.
Some cities in the continental United States, and the Triad, like Winston-Salem, have held celebrations of the day for years but several others are just catching on.
The City of Greensboro is one of them and is just now officially recognizing this milestone in American history.
Several residents gathered at Douglas Park to commemorate the historic day.
Neighborhood celebrations have also thrived, independent of municipal government organization and sponsorship.
To mark the date, one woman took her son to the Greensboro History Museum to pick up a commemorative copy of the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 which had only reached the Texas slaves more than two years after it was first signed.
"I was advised that I could go online and print it, but I prefer the paper, that was the importance of us coming today'" said Lakiesha Shaw, a former student of Grimsley High School.
"I feel very proud and honored and I just love the paper that makes me feel like I was there and receive these papers," said Shaw unrolling the document which had been handed to her, curbside by one of the museum's curators.
Shaw admitted she didn't know the entire history of Juneteenth and she isn't alone as many people to are just discovering the celebration which many historians equate to July 4th for Black people.
Historians and educators say folks should learn the history and if they are unfortunate not to learn it from the school curriculum then it is incumbent upon themselves for self-development and awareness to not only learn it at home but to actively teach it to the younger generation.
"When people are exposed, it helps them to get a better understanding of things and about experiences. I believe we're better off as a society and as a community. There are opportunities for people to integrate not only the African experience but the Native American experience and the Latin American experiences," said Dr. Arwin Smallwood, a historian at the North Carolina A & T State University.
For Lakiesha's son, Justice who was seated in the fort passenger seat of the car, the Juneteeth 2020 trip to the museum was not just about learning but about pride in one's heritage regardless of circumstances of the past.
"I am happy because we have a part of history Black history," said 12-year-old Justice Shuler who plans to help his mom and grandparents frame up the proclamation.
Lakiesha says corporations' recent moves to give workers the day off is a step in the right direction but she hopes for more.
Not only does she want the issue of racism and social injustice to be a thing of the past, but she is also looking towards a future of more celebrations of Juneteeth a national holiday and has a message for the naysayers.
"I really don't care, it's time, it's well overdue and naysayer or not, you're not going to stop our parade or a party.
The cities of High Point and Winston Salem also have official Juneteenth celebrations scheduled for this weekend.
