In the beginning

Juneteenth aka June 19th was the day Union soldiers enforced President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation and freed all remaining slaves in Texas. We have used Juneteenth as a way to acknowledge our past faults, help heal current divisions and move toward a future as a nation more united.

Juneteenth has been celebrated since 1866 mostly by black Americans as it represents a critical turning point in American history not just black history. We celebrate by having an outdoor festival, with food and activities for all to attend and enjoy.

How did this come about?

Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation freed all remaining slaves in Texas. It was two months after the Civil War and two and a half years after the proclamation went into effect. The history of Juneteenth we do not know for sure the exact date or time of this historical Celebration, only that it took place in the month of June on the third Saturday of the month.

Came to be called Freedom Day

Juneteenth is also called Freedom Day and Emancipation Day. Juneteenth is about the triumph of American Freedom over slavery. It was the only thing we could embrace as our own African American Holiday.

History

Now historically we can say that Juneteenth is a Nationally recognized legal holiday.

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Written by Mary Pargo, Accord Staff