Many Americans & African-Americans in particular have no idea that June 19, 1865 is really the official day that abolished slavery & acknowledged the freedom of slaves in America and not the day the Emancipation Proclamation was signed on Jan. 1, 1863. Many African-American leaders have been working tirelessly to have what is now known as Juneteenth as a national day of observation of this historical moment not only in African-American history but American history. With Texas lawmakers making the outrageous historical leap to re-write history as they deem it & other states pushing to abolish ethnic studies, the battle & struggle to have Juneteenth nationally observed is more important than ever. The irony of Texas is that it is actually the only state in the union that observes Juneteenth because it fought the hardest in the continuation of slavery even after the emancipation proclamation therefore the end of slavery had to be specifically sanctioned on the books in Texas. Those that giveth can also taketh if a nation is not united to observe its full & collective history.

“A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots. “Marcus Garvey

There is a common misconception among Americans that Abraham Lincoln freed the slaves with a stroke of his pen. Yet the Emancipation Proclamation, which went into effect on Jan. 1, 1863, did no such thing — or, at least, it didn’t do a very good job of it. Two and a half years later, on June 19, 1865, Union soldiers sailed into Galveston, Texas, announced the end of the Civil War, and read aloud a general order freeing the quarter-million slaves residing in the state. It’s likely that none of them had any idea that they had actually been freed more than two years before. It was truly a day of mass emancipation. It has become known as Juneteenth…READ MORE

Today Juneteenth commemorates African American freedom and emphasizes education and achievement. It is a day, a week, and in some areas a month marked with celebrations, guest speakers, picnics and family gatherings. It is a time for reflection and rejoicing. It is a time for assessment, self-improvement and for planning the future. Its growing popularity signifies a level of maturity and dignity in America long over due. In cities across the country, people of all races, nationalities and religions are joining hands to truthfully acknowledge a period in our history that shaped and continues to influence our society today. Sensitized to the conditions and experiences of others, only then can we make significant and lasting improvements in our society. READ MORE