Juneteenth History

Juneteenth is a holiday that was first celebrated spontaneously on June 19, 1865. The event marked the freedom of slaves in Texas. For many years afterwards, the day was celebrated annually in Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana and Oklahoma by African Americans. It became less popular in the Twentieth Century, but a revival took place during the Civil Rights Movement. Between 2002 and 2007, the holiday also saw a resurgence in popularity.

The importance of Juneteenth is to celebrate the freedom of black people in America and to remember the roots of slavery. The holiday is not always celebrated on the 19th. In many places, the third Saturday of the month is used to celebrate the holiday.

Many celebrations include the Akan saying, Sankofa, which means "retrieving the past is no taboo, thus say the ancestors."

Find out more using the library's TexShare databases: Hume J, Arceneaux N. Public Memory, Cultural Legacy, and Press Coverage of the Juneteenth Revival. Journalism History. 2008;34(3):155.

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