Celebrating Juneteenth

Juneteenth is celebrated as the ending of slavery in the US and has just recently been declared a national holiday. Here are some interesting facts about the holiday.

Did you know?

• When the Emancipation Proclamation was enacted, it did not automatically mean all people were free. Those who lived in states still under Confederate control were not affected by the proclamation.
• Juneteenth has also been celebrated as “Freedom Day,” “Second Independence Day,” and “Emancipation Day.” These are only a few of the names that it has been celebrated under.
• Emancipation Park in Houston Texas was purchased specifically to celebrate Juneteenth. Four former slaves purchased the park in 1872 for $800.
• The Poor People’s March planned by Martin Luther King Jr. was purposely scheduled to coincide with Juneteenth.
• The period after Juneteenth is called “The Scatter.” In the following weeks after the proclamation, former slaves left in great numbers to find their family members and start their lives.

Information from Battlefields.org. Click here to learn more.

Timeline information from:

• https://nmaahc.si.edu/blog-post/historical-legacy-juneteenth
• https://nmaahc.si.edu/blog-post/13th-amendment-us-constitution-passed
• https://www.history.com/news/what-is-juneteenth
• https://www.pbs.org/wnet/african-americans-many-rivers-to-cross/history/what-is-juneteenth/