On June 19, 1865, two and half years after Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, a group of Union soldiers led by Major General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, and finally overcame the resistance of Texas slave owners and other assorted racial bigots. It was then that Juneteenth was first celebrated. In the here and now, Juneteenth is known as the oldest national celebration commemorating the end of US slavery. To this day, June 19th is observed as the African American Emancipation Day. Juneteenth celebrations are incredibly nuanced and emotionally powerful. One important aspect is food; some foods synonymous with Juneteenth celebrations are strawberry soda-pop and barbecuing. Barbequing is so spiritually and culturally important to the date that the barbeque pit is often referred to as the center of attention at celebrations. BBQ is a symbolic gesture in which participants can share in the spirit and aromas that their ancestors – the newly emancipated African Americans – would have experienced during their own ceremonies. Today, June 19th celebrates African American freedom and achievement, while encouraging continuous self-development and respect for all cultures. Additionally, it has taken on a more national, symbolic, and even global perspective with a mission to promote and cultivate knowledge and appreciation of African American history and culture.
Official Juneteenth Poem
From Africa’s heart, we rose
Already a people, our faces ebon, our bodies lean,
We rose
Skills of art, life, beauty and family
Crushed by forces we knew nothing of, we rose
Survive we must, we did,
We rose
We rose to be you, we rose to be me,
Above everything expected, we rose
To become the knowledge we never knew,
We rose
Dream, we did
Act we must
Kristina Kay,
We Rose © 1996, Juneteenth.com
