So What IS Juneteenth about? “Freedom Day” – The Emancipation from Slavery for African-Americans in Texas.
Being a true Texas girl, I’ve celebrated this holiday with my family and our church and local communities my entire life. It wasn’t until my 7th grade year when I brought it up in my “Texas History” class, that I realized that it wasn’t widely acknowledged, taught or celebrated outside of the African-American community. I say this for two reasons: First, if you’re feeling guilty about it- don’t. It’s not your fault if you’ve been ignorant to this historic celebration. If you think about it, every holiday we celebrate in our country, was taught to us in our schools and honored in our communities. Not Juneteenth though. Secondly, to remind you that it is our society’s culture to use the “if we can relate- we will celebrate” logic. ALL of us, as I confessed earlier have been guilty of this. I think that’s what’s always bothered me about this holiday NOT being widely embraced, because it IS so much for all of us.
WHO should celebrate it?
All Americans- but especially Texans! If you’re American, guess what? June 19, 1865 was the FIRST time that every citizen still part of the United States (as it stood post-civil war), regardless of the color of their skin was FREE. Free to be with their families, to keep their children, for women to have freedom over their bodies, for men to have some form of freedom over their futures. THIS day in the God-blessed USA, in the Great State of Texas- every man was legally declared to be a person and not property! Y’all! If there is anything I know as a southern girl is that we know how to be proud! THIS is something to be proud of. THIS is something to celebrate! You might not have known this piece of American history, your history, but Lee Greenwood’s 1984 hit lyrics, “I’m proud to be an American, where at least I know I’m free” says we DO understand the gravity of freedom and we have been conditioned to honor the victories that afforded it! So it’s not too late for you and your family to start celebrating it! In fact, here’s another relatable thing to know about why Juneteenth is so significant- the liberating news that Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation (the law that freed slaves) took a whole 2.5 years to even reach Texas! It was the reading of this military order, on this day that caused the jubilee that we try to recreate each year.
In the words of once enslaved Syrian and latin writer, Publilius Syrus
“ It is better to learn late than never”
What’s Next?
Take time to build upon this knowledge- Google, Wikipedia, Streaming or Network Specials. Keep it simple, find your “why” to celebrate. Take time to share what you learned with someone else, and maybe start with your family and then move into your circle of friends. Plan to link up with your tribe next year to embrace this holiday, because as you learned today, it is indeed yours to celebrate! Don’t take my word for it though, after 156 years of celebration, 44 years as a national holiday in many states the US Senate unanimously passed a bill finally making Juneteenth a federal holiday!
As true as it is for overripe bananas, that sat waiting to be seen and chosen.
The bunch untouched after purchase
and with so many missed opportunities to fulfill its purpose, to nourish.
Passing their prime though all signs indicated the passing time,
and then finally one day- we realize, and we feel guilt at first but then we rise-
to embrace it instead, cause we know these make the BEST banana bread!!
Here’s to normalizing the celebration of American history even if it was once neglected and leaning in to engage in our community’s cultural events, even when we don’t reflect it.
Happy Juneteenth Y’all and a Mama-lujah in solidarity for ALL that we can imagine that this day meant for those American mamas before us!
Love this!!!!!