Milam County Historical Commission
Milam County, Texas
Milam County, Texas
Juneteenth
Texas celebration expands into nationwide observance of freedom
Editorial - Mike Brown Rockdale Reporter - June 26, 2014
A uniquely Texas observance has spread beyond the boundaries of the Lone Star State and shows no signs of slowing down.
Juneteenth was celebrated at many places in Texas during the last week, including Rockdale’s Sumuel Park.
It’s been growing from its Texas roots. In fact, two of the largest Juneteenth observances are now held in Minneapolis and Milwaukee.
Exactly what is Juneteenth? It’s firmly grounded in history. On June 19, 1865, Union Major Gen. Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston and delivered the news that slavery in the United States was over.
In the ensuing years, the date became enshrined as one of celebration and for the next half-century many made an annual pilgrimage to Galveston to be part of the re-enactment of the first Juneteenth.
Through the latter part of the 19th Century many Texas towns, not all of them major cities, began to host massive Juneteenth observances. In Mexia, for instance, thousands began to come to Booker T. Washington Park for Juneteenth observances.
In 1980, Texas became the first state to proclaim Juneteenth as an official holiday. In the past three decades Juneteenth observances have turned up in places like the Smithsonian in Washington, DC and the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan.
All appropriate places and times to celebrate freedom.
But then, so are all times and places.
M.B.
.
Texas celebration expands into nationwide observance of freedom
Editorial - Mike Brown Rockdale Reporter - June 26, 2014
A uniquely Texas observance has spread beyond the boundaries of the Lone Star State and shows no signs of slowing down.
Juneteenth was celebrated at many places in Texas during the last week, including Rockdale’s Sumuel Park.
It’s been growing from its Texas roots. In fact, two of the largest Juneteenth observances are now held in Minneapolis and Milwaukee.
Exactly what is Juneteenth? It’s firmly grounded in history. On June 19, 1865, Union Major Gen. Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston and delivered the news that slavery in the United States was over.
In the ensuing years, the date became enshrined as one of celebration and for the next half-century many made an annual pilgrimage to Galveston to be part of the re-enactment of the first Juneteenth.
Through the latter part of the 19th Century many Texas towns, not all of them major cities, began to host massive Juneteenth observances. In Mexia, for instance, thousands began to come to Booker T. Washington Park for Juneteenth observances.
In 1980, Texas became the first state to proclaim Juneteenth as an official holiday. In the past three decades Juneteenth observances have turned up in places like the Smithsonian in Washington, DC and the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan.
All appropriate places and times to celebrate freedom.
But then, so are all times and places.
M.B.
.
All Credit for this article
goes to Mike Brown
and the
Rockdale Reporter
goes to Mike Brown
and the
Rockdale Reporter