Happy Juneteenth!
Have a wonderful day off and take a quick second to read this post and learn a little bit more about this holiday that many of us don't know enough about.
I know the basic dates and concepts of Juneteenth and why we celebrate it, but I have decided that each year, on this date, I will endeavor to do deeper and learn more about the holiday and the people who fought so hard to get us where we are today. My first stop: The National Museum of African American History and Culture, which is by far my favorite historical museum in all of Washington, DC.
It is still very hard to get tickets to this Smithsonian location, even for those people who live here, but this place has a spirit and a vibe like nothing else and it’s a must see. I went a few years ago for the first time and it is the only DC attraction that I look forward to repeating every time more tourist friends and family come into town. You can become a supporting member of the museum here or make a donation in honor of Juneteenth here.
Here is an excerpt from The Historical Legacy of Juneteenth, which can be found on the NMAAHC website:
On “Freedom’s Eve,” or the eve of January 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, prayers were answered as 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 spreading the news of freedom in Confederate States. Only through the Thirteenth Amendment did emancipation end slavery throughout the United States.
But not everyone in Confederate territory would immediately be free. Even though 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. 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.
Today, I will celebrate with friends and think about all of the people who fought so hard to make this country a better place for everyone. Then, I will use that feeling to help inspire me through the next few months as we work even harder to continue to protect this fragile democracy. Have a lovely day. God Bless the American Dream of true equality for all.
Amee Vanderpool writes the SHERO Newsletter, is an attorney, published author, contributor to newspapers and magazines, and an analyst for BBC radio. She can be reached at avanderpool@gmail.com or follow her on Twitter @girlsreallyrule.
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