Its literal historical roots are in
Texas, but Juneteenth is gaining popularity across the country as
an occasion to celebrate one of the most important events in
American history--the end of slavery in America. Although July
4th. marks the American colonies' 1776 declaration of independence
from Britain, the Founding Fathers did not include America's
slaves among "all men" who had been "created
equal." It took a bloody Civil War and Constitutional
amendments to end slavery, and Juneteenth celebrates the
Emancipation Proclamation, issued almost a century after the
Declaration of Independence.
Texas....June 19, 1865
January 1, 1863 Lincoln issued the Emancipation
Proclamation, declaring that all slaves in the rebellious
states were free. It was military strategy--the southern states
were still fighting as the Confederacy. While the Proclamation
achieved an intended effect of encouraging many slaves to flee
plantations and join the union forces, it proclaimed the freedom
of only those slaves held in the Confederacy, which did not
recognize Lincoln's authority.
Over two years later, on June 19, 1865, General Gordon
Granger landed in Galveston, Texas, leading federal occupation
forces some three months after the official end of the Civil War.
He immediately proclaimed Texas to be under U.S. authority and
re-issued the Emancipation Proclamation. He could hardly have
expected his action to give birth to an annual African American
freedom celebration.
Celebration of June 19 as "Juneteenth" or "
Emancipation Day" quickly spread through parts of the
southwest, including Texas, Louisiana, and Arkansas. To the freed
slaves, Juneteenth had much greater significance than the Fourth
of July and was celebrated with community picnics featuring the
reading of the Emancipation Proclamation, feasting, choir singing,
prayers, and speeches. Although the popularity of Juneteenth
declined in the 1940's, the traditional celebration has been
"re-discovered" in recent decades as an appropriate
occasion to remember the legacy of slavery and celebrate
emancipation. In 1980 Texas became the first state to make
Juneteenth an official state holiday.
Cincinnati....1988...2010 Cincinnati's Juneteenth tradition began in 1988 as a
neighborhood festival--attracting some 1500 participants to a
neighborhood park. As it's grown, the annual Festival has
continued to reflect its origins in a racially integrated
community, with both multi-racial organization and attendance.
In the following years the Festival has mushroomed, with
attendance estimates as high as 15-20,000. Festival features have
included such diverse, family-centered (and free!) activities as
traditional story telling, magic acts, sack races, sweet potato
pie bake-off, music (blues, African drumming & dancing,
gospel, jazz, reggae, etc.). And Festival vendors offer a wide
variety of food, clothing, art, folk crafts, ethnic literature,
etc.
In 1993 the Festival moved to Eden Park, overlooking downtown
Cincinnati and the Ohio River.
2010 The Festival will return to Eden
Park on June 19, 2010, with feature attractions including
historical reenactments and exhibits, craft demonstrations.
The Festival is completely non-profit. It is staffed entirely
by volunteers, organized by Juneteenth Cincinnati , with the invaluable help of many sponsors and donors.
