By, Carol Fisher-Linn
Juneteenth – So Much to Celebrate – But So Little Understood
Here’s the story of Juneteenth: It is always on June 19th. It commemorates the emancipation of the enslaved African Americans waaaay back in 1865 on June 19th. It was signed into law in 2021.
Think about this for a moment, keeping in mind the date – June 19, 1865. Think back to our basic history lessons: dates of the Civil War – April 12, 1861, to May 26, 1865. While in the midst of the war, President Abraham Lincoln (a Republican) issued a proclamation declaring that as of January 1, 1863, all enslaved people in the states at that time engaged in rebellion against the Union “shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free.” Let’s understand clearly that he was talking about the enslaved people in the Confederacy, not those in border states who remained faithful to the Union. Go figure, right? But this simple proclamation changed the purpose of the war from just preserving the Union to also ending slavery. However, those border states did not adhere to the Proclamation, and their enslaved people continued to live their lives as slaves. To square things up and get everyone on the same page, on June 19, 1865, three plus weeks after the official end of the war and two-and-a-half years after the proclamation, Lincoln sent Union General Gordon Granger with thousands of federal troops to Galveston, Texas. This was to formally announce that the Civil War had ended, and their slaves had been freed (250,000 of them who had no clue until Granger and company appeared, even though many of their owners had for years). “General Orders No. 3” stated: “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.” https://www.npr.org (search: juneteenth-marks-day-slaves-in-texas-were-told-they-were-free)
To make it even more official, by the end of January 1865, both houses of Congress had passed the 13th Amendment, and it was ratified that December. President Lincoln said this: “It is my greatest and most enduring contribution to the history of the war,” Lincoln said of emancipation in February 1865, two months before his assassination. “It is, in fact, the central act of my administration, and the great event of the 19th century.” (history.com) The following year, Juneteenth was born (Juneteenth – combine June and nineteenth) in Galveston, spread across the world, and became recognized as a federal holiday in 2021 and a state holiday in NY in 2020. That’s a day that federal facilities are closed, including banks and post offices. Events include concerts, parades, rodeos, prayer services, barbeques, games, and readings of the Emancipation Proclamation.
All Americans enjoying the gift of this new holiday should commemorate it. It’s only second in importance to our National Day of Independence on July 4th. President Lincoln and our government at that critical time recognized the gaps left in our own Declaration of Independence where our founders pledged that “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” It is a day of deliverance for all Americans who embrace the ideals upon which we were founded. It is a reminder of our responsibility to say “enough” as we recognize the continued prevalent inequalities and marginalization of our sisters and brothers, and to celebrate even the smallest steps toward equality for all.
So, how do we celebrate? If you can make it, the Bidens are hosting a concert at the White House in “celebration of community, culture and music.”
In Olean, festivities take place at the Bethany Lutheran Church on June 24th 12-3pm https://www.facebook.com/events/1687789841663896
Jamestown is sponsoring a Juneteenth weekend, June 16-18, in various locations but principally at Jackson-Taylor (Chadakoin) Park ending with a Gospel Fest on June 18th at 3-6pm. https://www.facebook.com/JTownJTeenth/
Buffalo is celebrating on Jun 18, 2-3pm at Martin Luther King Park https://www.facebook.com/events/6464861753545306
The Genesee County Village and Museum in Mumford will have a full day of celebrations.
And, since food plays such a big role in the celebrations, be sure to add the most famous Juneteeth dish, the Marcus Garvey Salad. https://food14.com search: marcus-garvey-salad-recipe.
Yes, the colors in the salad all have special meaning. The green, red, and black beans represent the colors of the African nationalist flag, known as the Pan-African flag, Marcus Garvey flag, UNIA flag, Afro-American flag, or Black Liberation flag. So, to everyone – Happy Juneteenth!