In 1865, two years after the issuing of the Emancipation Proclamation. Two months after the Confederate surrender at Appomattox Courthouse.
Despite the Confederacy’s surrender, there are still holdouts of bitter plantation owners and scattered rebel forces.
One of the largest is the port city of Galveston, Texas, firmly in the pockets of plantation owner Robert Mills. The city was central to the slave trade in Texas, able to ship enslaved men, women and children anywhere in the South before the Civil War.
Inside the city, there are 250,000 people enslaved. Still held there by the cruelty of the citizens and the threats of violence.
It is a commonly reported misconception that the slaves of Galveston were completely unaware of their emancipation, that is false.
2,000 Union soldiers under the command of Major General Gordon Granger march into Galveston with no resistance.
Major General Granger posted “General Orders No.3” on every wall in the city with the words, “All Slaves are Free”.
Juneteenth is unlike any other holiday. In celebrating Juneteenth, one not only remembers the hardships and triumphs of past Black Americans. But also the solidarity and commitment to do away with the injustices of the present day for an enlightened future.
The celebration of Juneteenth is especially important now, in the backdrop of government and civilian efforts to hide its significance with school book bans and the bullying of universities by holding funds hostage.
Some people find it surprising that Juneteenth is still recognized federally. The Trump administration has removed prominent Black Americans from government pages while planning to rename military bases after Confederate generals.
Juneteenth is not like any other holiday, it not only celebrates the stories of bravery and triumph of the past, but also a reminder that there is still work to be done.
Honoring stories of Black Americans, their struggles and their will to stop at nothing to make this world a free and more beautiful place is just one of the purposes of Juneteenth.
It is also our responsibility to use that freedom to stand up and use our will to forge a better world.
Carter Cousino, staff writer/intern
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