Reflections on Juneteenth

Today is Juneteenth, an observance that’s been around for 155 years but is getting an unusual amount of attention this year due to a combination of factors.

Juneteenth commemorates the freedom of slaves in the former Confederate states following the conclusion of the Civil War.

In 1863 President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, declaring the slaves in the Confederate states freed. But word of the proclamation did not reach until June 19, 1865. On that date, later called Juneteenth, an estimated 250,000 slaves in Texas finally received official notification of their freedom.

Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger read General Orders, No. 3, at the District of Texas headquarters in Galveston: “The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired labor.”

The announcement met with immediate jubilation, dancing and singing among the now former slaves who heard it, and later to more elaborate celebrations, featuring leisure activities and barbecues, according to juneteenth.com.

This year Juneteenth arrives at a particularly emotional time for black Americans. For weeks now they and their allies have been protesting ongoing injustices against their community, most notably police brutality. This was sparked by a series of recent incidents, most notably the death of George Floyd at the hands of police in Minneapolis on Memorial Day.

So this year Juneteenth reminds us of a milestone in freedom for black Americans even as many acknowledge that there is much still left to accomplish in our efforts to bring about true racial equality.

Juneteenth gained attention this year when President Donald Trump was criticized for scheduling an Oklahoma rally on the holiday. The president wisely responded by delaying the event by a day. Hopefully that will ensure that today’s activities focus on the meaning of the occasion rather than political controversies.

The COVID-19 pandemic is another factor that makes this year’s Juneteenth observance unusual.

Typically black communities here and around the region and nation hold big events to mark the occasion. This year many such observances are of the virtual variety.

It’s certainly appropriate to use this occasion to celebrate and reflect on how far we’ve come and how far we have to go when it comes to healing race relations in this country

The celebration of empowerment that is Juneteenth reflects the reality of the long road to freedom and equality that African Americans have had to endure.

The Emancipation Proclamation, after all, freed only the slaves in the Confederate states. Despite three constitutional amendments granting them freedom, full rights as citizens and the right to vote, those promises took until the 1950s and ‘60s to be fully implemented in law. And recent events have made clear that we’re still falling far short of putting our stated principles into practice when it comes to ensuring fair treatment for black Americans.

Our nation has been slow in making its founding ideals real for all, but the work continues. It’s our hope and prayer that the difficult times we’ve experienced in recent weeks help push us to move more swiftly toward equality for all. If our nation can accomplish that, future Juneteenth celebrations can be that much more jubliant.

— Reading Eagle, MediaNews Group