Celebration shows Juneteenth is a U.S. holiday
At Wednesday’s meeting of the Upper Darby/Lansdowne Rotary Club, members enjoyed a presentation about the American holiday Juneteenth, recognized on the anniversary of the June
19, 1865, event during which United States General Gordon Grainer along with Black troops marched into Galveston, Texas, armed with General Order Number Three, informing former slaves they were free.
Upper Darby resident Richard Blye, who was central to the holiday being recognized in Upper Darby, spoke to members via Zoom about the history and future of the event in Delaware County.
“Juneteenth is for all,” said Blye. “It is not an African-American holiday — it is an American holiday that just happens to be seen through the optics of African Americans who went through that period of time.”
Blye said that recorded history shows a lot of the former slaves, upon seeing the Colored Troops, didn’t wait for the proclamation to be announced; they automatically fled or broke out into impromptu celebration.
With time, the words June and nineteenth were put together so that people would always remember this day in history.
Blye reported that June
19 is also the date of other important events in American history. On that day in
1862, slavery was outlawed in U.S. territories. On the following year, the order to authorize the United States Black troops was presented by President Lincoln. Also in 1863, the Pennsylvania
Abolition Society enforced the Emancipation order. And on June 19, 1866, the treaty ending slavery with the five tribes in Oklahoma was ratified.
“Quite a lot of folks don’t understand that slavery had continued even after the Emancipation Proclamation,” Blye said. “It was in the form of indigenous people here in America and a second treaty had to be made to free over 250,000 bodies from out of the Oklahoma territories.”
In the 1960’s, other important events occurred on June 19, including the survival of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 from a filibuster attempt and the 1968 Poor People’s Solidarity March. It was about this time the idea of this day as a holiday began.
Blye talked about the 2020 Juneteenth celebration that was held at the Delaware County Veterans Memorial in Newtown Square. He found the memorial to be the most appropriate place to honor the patriots who played a part in securing the freedoms that Juneteenth represents.
He believes it is important that education be a
central part of the day.
At last year’s celebration, the Third Regiment Infantry, United States Colored Troops Civil War reenactors, out of Philadelphia presented an excellent explanation of the history of the Civil War, much of which is not covered in school textbooks. They also hosted a number of singers, speakers and poets.
“What we want to do with Juneteenth at the Delaware County Veterans Memorial
is to continue along with the truthful history of African Americans and Americans during this period of time. We want to celebrate the culture by introducing the food and music and art that a lot of us have seen or countries we have traveled to, and places in the city. We also want to bring those elements here to Delaware County.”
Blye noted Delaware County has a rich and diverse cultural history. It was the location of stops along the Underground Railroad, including the Upper Darby home of Thomas Garrett Jr.
On a side note, a four and half mile walking tour
of seven underground railroad sites in Upper Darby is available on the Township website. These stops include the Garrett House, Riverview House (now Holy Child Academy), Riverview Farm (now Arlington Cemetery), Hoodland Sellers Library, the former Howard House (now Pica’s restaurant), Sellers Hall at 150 Hampden Road and Friends Cemetery 236 Powell Lane.
Officials at the Rotary
stated in a press release their hope to collaborate with each and every township, borough and municipality with discussions about Juneteenth and its history, the upcoming laws for a permanent holiday, and the celebrations that will grow over the next few years.
“The history of African Americans and its triumphs through adversity is the will and sacrifice of what makes us Americans and we believe that the only way to a more perfect union is to recognize the points of history that united us all, and sharing in that experience for all learn, understand, and reflect,” it read. “Now, more than ever, we as a nation have been given the opportunity to move bravely forward with open and honest dialogue for support, for the 2nd Annual DELCO Juneteenth Celebration at the Delaware County Veterans Memorial, June 19, 2021.”