The Emancipation Proclamation, issued by President Abraham Lincoln on Jan. 1, 1863, established that all enslaved people in Confederate states ìshall be then, thenceforward, and forever free.î However, as stated by History.com; in reality, the Emancipation Proclamation didnít instantly free any enslaved people. The proclamation only applied to places under Confederate control and not to slave-holding border states or rebel areas already under Union control. As Northern troops advanced into the Confederate South, many enslaved people fled behind Union lines.According to Nmaahc.si.edu, on ìFreedomís Eve,î or the eve of Jan. 1, 1863, the first Watch Night services took place. On that night, enslaved and free African Americans gathered in churches and private homes all across the country awaiting news that the Emancipation Proclamation had taken effect. At the stroke of midnight, all enslaved people in Confederate States were declared legally free. Union soldiers, many of whom were black, marched onto plantations and across cities in the South, reading small copies of the Emancipation Proclamation and spreading the news of freedom in Confederate States. Only through the 13th Amendment did emancipation end slavery throughout the United States.In Texas, slavery had continued as the state experienced no large-scale fighting or significant presence of Union troops. Many enslavers from outside the Lone Star State had moved there, as they viewed it as a safe haven for slavery.Although the Emancipation Proclamation was made effective in 1863, it could not be implemented in places still under Confederate control. As a result, in the westernmost Confederate state of Texas, enslaved people would not be free until much later. In some cases, enslavers withheld the information until after harvest season.Freedom finally came on June 19, 1865, when some 2,000 Union troops arrived in Galveston Bay, Texas. The army announced that the more than 250,000 enslaved black people in the state were free by executive decree. This day came to be known as “Juneteenth” by the newly freed people in Texas. That December, slavery in America was formally abolished with the adoption of the 13th Amendment.The original observances included prayer meetings and the singing of spirituals, and celebrants wore new clothes as a way of representing their newfound freedom. As people migrated out of Texas, African Americans in other states were celebrating the day as well, making it an annual tradition. Celebrations have continued across the United States into the 21st century, and typically include prayer and religious services, speeches, educational events, family gatherings and picnics; and festivals with music, food and dancing. The day is also celebrated outside the United States, being used by organizations in a number of countries to recognize the end of slavery and to honor the culture and achievements of African Americans, according to Brittanica.com.Although Juneteenth has been celebrated for decades, itís only recently become a federal holiday. From History.com, freedmen in Texas organized the first of what became the annual celebration of ìJubilee Dayî on June 19, 1866. In 1979, Texas became the first state to make Juneteenth an official holiday; several others followed suit over the years. In June 2021, Congress passed a resolution establishing Juneteenth as a national holiday; President Biden signed it into law on June 17, 2021.From whitehouse.gov, the President states in his proclamation on Juneteenth Day of Observance 2021, ìOn Juneteenth, we recommit ourselves to the work of equity, equality, and justice. And, we celebrate the centuries of struggle, courage, and hope that have brought us to this time of progress and possibility. That work has been led throughout our history by abolitionists and educators, civil rights advocates and lawyers, courageous activists and trade unionists, public officials, and everyday Americans who have helped make real the ideals of our founding documents for all.î
