The Historical Legacy of Juneteenth | National Museum of African American History and Culture

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The Historical Legacy of Juneteenth | National Museum of African American History and Culture

On “Freedom’s Eve,” or the eve of January 1, 1863, the first Watch Night services took place. On that night, enslaved and free African Americans gathered in churches and private homes all across the country awaiting news that the Emancipation Proclamation had taken effect. At the stroke of midnight, prayers were answered as all enslaved people in Confederate States were declared legally free. Union soldiers, many of whom were black, marched onto plantations and across cities in the south reading small copies of the Emancipation Proclamation spreading the news of freedom in Confederate States. Only through the Thirteenth Amendment did emancipation end slavery throughout the United States.

But not everyone in Confederate territory would immediately be free. Even though the Emancipation Proclamation was made effective in 1863, it could not be implemented in places still under Confederate control. As a result, in the westernmost Confederate state of Texas, enslaved people would not be free until much later. Freedom finally came on June 19, 1865, when some 2,000 Union troops arrived in Galveston Bay, Texas. The army announced that the more than 250,000 enslaved black people in the state, were free by executive decree. This day came to be known as "Juneteenth," by the newly freed people in Texas.

What Is Juneteenth? – The New York Times

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What Is Juneteenth? – The New York Times

Juneteenth, an annual commemoration of the end of slavery in the United States after the Civil War, has been celebrated by African Americans since the late 1800s.

President Biden signed legislation in 2021 that made Juneteenth, which falls on June 19, a federal holiday, after interest in the day was renewed during the summer of 2020 and the nationwide protests that followed the police killings of Black Americans including George Floyd and Breonna Taylor.

There has been a noticeable increase in Juneteenth celebrations across the United States over the past few years.

Happy Juneteenth 🏖️

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Happy Juneteenth! What a beautiful morning I would seem. After a cool and at sometimes rainy weekend, the best day is the day I have to go home. That said I’m in no rush to make that happen, I plan to leave to head home at five o’clock or when the clouds and rain come ⛈️ whichever comes first. A little hammock time for me, watching the butterflies 🦋 and flags 🏳️‍🌈 flutter in the wind. A lazy day for me 😴 recognizing that the time is short for this trip so I need to maximize my time hear before I return to civilization.

Started out my morning with oatmeal banana 🍌 pancakes 🥞 using up the remaining blackberries, blueberries and strawberries I had. Started out the morning floating on the tube ⭕ and then slowly have been taking down camp ⛺. I know I just moved the campsite last night. Got up at seven which is very late for me, but I was up until 11 pm last night.

Truth is this time of year, 11 o’clock isn’t really late when out camping 🌃 especially in the open canopy like Powley Place where it doesn’t get real dark until after 10 pm. With the lights, the campfire and shooting fireworks 🎇 off the rail of the bridge, eleven o’clock came quickly. I probably could have done midnight but I didn’t want to sleep all of today.

Hiked back to Goldmine Stream Falls yesterday. 🚶 Nice walk from the bridge site along more of Powley Road. Between yesterday and Saturday I pretty much walked half of Powley Road over the weekend. Also hiked beyond the falls a ways until I reached the clearing where you get a good of Big Alderbed Mountain ⛰ in the distance. In the evening floated on the East Canada Creek under Powley Bridge for 45 minutes then paddled for about an hour down to the second beaver dam south of the bridge.

Today I am going to paddle 🛶 along the East Canada Creek, same route as yesterday then do a little more floating in the tube ⭕ on the East Canada Creek 🏊 and end my day at the Potholers. Leave at five, weather depending, get home at seven 7⃣ and unpack then go for the evening walk 🚶. Did little bit of walking around Powley Place this morning and back along the trail at Campsite 7 to the East Branch so my hope is by afternoon to be two thirds done with the step goal 🥅 of five miles and be at least at six ny the end of the day. I will need groceries but will make due with what I have for Tuesday and hope not too late of a night at work for shopping 🛒 that evening. My pantry is pretty bare and I used up most of my camp food 🍲 but I have rice, lentils and beans and will try to save an apple 🍏 or something to get through the day tomorrow. I guess I could stop somewhere on my way home 🏡.