Ethel McConaghy: Juneteenth is flourishing as a holiday, please join in

To The Daily Sun,

On June 19, 2019, New Hampshire joined 45 states and the District of Columbia in recognizing Juneteenth, a 150-year-old commemoration of the end of slavery in this country, as an official state holiday.

Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation became effective on January 1, 1863, but the 250,000 persons enslaved in Texas did not learn about their freedom for two and a half years. On June 19, 1865, Major General Gordon Granger arrived at Galveston, Texas, and delivered an order stating “… in accordance with a Proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free.”

Because Texas is so large, news of emancipation reached the enslaved slowly, and some slaveowners deliberately withheld the information until after the harvest. The order urged formerly enslaved people to remain on their plantations as paid employees, but the news of freedom was received with such overwhelming joy that many left right away. For too many, however, the taste of freedom was short-lived. While attempting to leave, they were beaten, lynched or shot by their enraged former slaveowners.

For the formerly enslaved people of Texas, the date of June 19 became synonymous with their deliverance from slavery, and exactly one year later, they began an annual celebration that they called Juneteenth. For decades on this day they gathered with other Black Americans for barbecues, parades, music, games and prayer services, and to hear guest speakers discuss education and self-improvement.

The popularity of Juneteenth spread quickly to other states during the years of Reconstruction when the Black American communities flourished. Too quickly however, with the restrictions of Jim Crow laws and the violence against Black Americans, holding the celebrations became a struggle and was not common at the time of WW2. Fortunately, Juneteenth experienced a revival during the Civil Rights Movement of the sixties. In 1979, Texas became the first state to make it a holiday and 45 states have followed its lead. Currently, Juneteenth activities are held in over 150 cities and in almost every state.

There are local Juneteenth celebrations scheduled and one that you can join online is hosted by the Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire. This non-profit organization, headquartered in Portsmouth, has for over two decades promoted awareness and appreciation of African-American history and culture in New Hampshire. This year it will celebrate Juneteenth by presenting four programs from June 18 to 20: soul food cooking, African drumming, a panel discussion, and a concert of songs. For information about, and to register for these events (which will be held via Facebook Live and Zoom), visit blackheritagetrailnh.org.

In this time of pain and protest in our country, let us educate ourselves about the history of race in America and join in celebrating Juneteenth. In the face of unimaginable oppression, this celebration of freedom has survived for over 150 years. That Juneteenth is flourishing today is hopeful for tomorrow.

Ethel McConaghy & Jane Westlake

Barnstead