Yesterday marked Juneteenth, a holiday that celebrates the emancipation of African-Americans from slavery, a day that is widely celebrated in broad pockets of the American south and west. It is a time of community gatherings, some held throughout the month of June, that focus on the jubilant aspect of this historical moment.
It was June 19, 1865 when soldiers of the Union Army told an assembled group: ”In accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free.”
Yet, the name “Juneteenth” is the spawn of a twist of intrigue fitting for the types of injustices blacks faced in America as slaves — and the famous African-American wordplay born of the slave experience.
Some slaves freed years after true emancipation
These words promising freedom were uttered over two years after Abraham Lincoln officially had freed America’s slaves through the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863.
Despite its deceptive origins, Juneteenth remains the longest-running commemoration of the end of African-American enslavement, now in its 148th year.
People in many locales promote awareness of Juneteenth through festivals, family gatherings, and cultural events that honor what is also sometimes called Emancipation Day.
The oldest event held in honor of Juneteenth is Houston’s annual Juneteenth Festival. Today marks the 141st year of the fete.
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article courtesy of TheGrio.com
Juneteenth Celebrations Commemorate The End Of Slavery was originally published on praisecleveland.com
