Juneteenth: A Shared History, Celebration Of Independence
Let’s get right into it! Juneteenth (the combination of June and nineteenth) is known by many names, such as, Black Independence Day, Emancipation Day, Jubilee Day, Juneteenth Independence Day, Juneteenth National Independence. It is the holiday that commemorates, symbolically, “the end of slavery.” THAT is the short answer… Let’s dig DEEPER!
The Controversial History of Juneteenth
We begin with President Abraham Lincoln‘s issuing of the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1st, 1863. This was during the Civil War.
As a requirement of the document, Union States were free, but Confederate Southern States were in rebellion against the Union. So as the (Northern) Union Army moved through Slave-Holding Confederate Territories, many enslaved people fled behind Union Lines and joined the army.
Fast forward 2 1/2 years to June 19th, 1865
The day approximately 2,000 federal troops marched into Galveston, Texas to take control of the state and to ensure all 250,000 enslaved people in Texas were to be set free.
What was with the 2 1/2 delay?
Well according to History.com, “Although emancipation didn’t happen overnight for everyone—in some cases, enslavers withheld the information until after harvest season.”
Also, as the Civil war was raged on, Texas became a safe haven for enslavers.
When was the 1st Juneteenth Emancipation Day Celebration?
The very next year on June 19th, 1866, marks the 1st Juneteenth, called Jubalee Day in Galveston, Texas. Texas was also the 1st state to make Juneteenth an Official Holiday in 1979!
Today, Juneteenth is a National Holiday!
Congress passed a resolution to make it an official holiday in 2021, and President Joe Biden signed it into law on June 17th, 2021!
On June 6th, 2023 Nevada passed Juneteenth as an official State Holiday.
There are many events and celebration that begin this weekend!
22nd Annual Las Vegas Juneteenth Festival
The 22nd annual Las Vegas Juneteenth Festival will be celebrating the holiday with live music, food from around the city, local artists, and local vendors. This year’s festival will feature Las Vegas’ very own award-winning R&B group, 702.
The event is free to attend and will take place at The Expo at the World Market Center from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday, June 17.
To reserve your spot and for more information, click here.