Marches commemorate Juneteenth across the nation
OAN Newsroom
UPDATED 2:00 PM PT — Friday, June 19, 2020
Hats flying through the air and women dancing all around: such is the alleged image of Galveston, Texas on June 19th, 1865, where enslaved black Americans were told they were finally free.
On this day in 1865, slaves in Texas were notified by Union Civil War soldiers about the abolition of slavery. This was 2.5 years the final Emancipation Proclamation which freed all enslaved Black Americans.
Happy Juneteenth! pic.twitter.com/GOBwBpldEs
— AFRICAN & BLACK HISTORY (@africanarchives) June 19, 2020
The word came from Union General Gordon Granger, who announced the end of the Civil War. Texas was one of the last states to find out.
The news prompted the first Juneteenth, which came more than two months after the surrender of the Confederacy and a full 2 1/2 years after Abraham Lincoln’s signing of the Emancipation Proclamation.
The message quickly spread, rippling through the states’ some 250,000 slaves and beyond.
“They started celebrating,” explained historian Jesse Holland. “Their descendants moved that celebration out of Galveston, Texas, to around Texas, around the United States and now around the world.”
The date, known as Juneteenth, marks a powerful holiday in the hearts and lives of black Americans.
“Juneteenth is actually the day that African Americans celebrate their independence,” stated Holland. “With all of the conversation around racial equality and justice in the United States, a lot of people are turning to Juneteenth as a symbol.”
While the freedom of former slaves still proved to be an uphill battle for decades to come, present day African Americans believe the holiday serves as an important opportunity to recognize the lasting contributions black Americans have had on this country and commemorate their history.
“My beautiful and courageous ancestors built this country,” said one black American.
Many have celebrated the occasion by hosting barbecues and block parties, but this year, celebrations made their way out onto the streets.
In cities across the country, residents flooded the streets to march in honor of Juneteenth.