Friday, June 19, 2009

Happy Juneteenth! June 19th, Y'all!

It's June 19th! Juneteenth! Let us give a proper moment of silent reflection.

.............!

OK! Moments Over! Now let us Give a few Minutes of Celebration! Go Head Make some Noise!

DO IT!

June 19th is the day Afrikan American Slaves in the State of Texas learned of the Emancipation Proclamation issued by President Abraham Lincoln. You see the Emancipation Proclamation was issued in September of 1862 but the Slaves in Texas were not freed until June 19th 1865!

I got this courtesy of the State of Texas Library website.

Union Major-General Gordon Granger read General Orders, No.3 to the people of Galveston. It stated
"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 freedmen are advised to remain quietly at their present homes and work for wages. They are informed that they will not be allowed to collect at military posts and that they will not be supported in idleness either there or elsewhere."

Yeah! Giant Rip I know.....but glass half full! Slaves in Texas were freed! So dig....

Afterwards, every year Afrikan Americans from Texas, Arkansas and all parts commemorate the occasion. Here in Long Beach, California we have a large gathering in Ernest Mcbride Park, complete with food, fun and lots of good music. It's a time for us to reflect, connect and re-connect in some cases.

Happy Juneteenth! June 19th can be and should be celebrated by all Americans! All of us! Slavery was a travesty that affected and poisoned us all! Thank God (IAM) he's still delivering folks from bondage!

BE Mindful! BE Prayerful! BE Careful!

Jaycee

4 comments:

Keli said...

Happy Juneteenth from this TX Girl!

A lot of folks don't know about this celebration. It's an official State holiday in TX since 1980, there is a push (apparently not too large) to make it a federal holiday.

Anonymous said...

I didn't know that. Thanks for the brain food!

Sincerely,

Go.

Daisy Deadhead said...

And happy Juneteenth to you too!!!

Its on my Bob Marley calendar, and thats how I first learned about it! :)

Anonymous said...

man i'm forgetting everything