The author George Orwell, who wrote the insightful and prophetic book 1984, stated that “the most effective way to destroy people is to deny and obliterate their own understanding of their history.” As I read this quote, I could not help but think, “what part of me is being destroyed and needs to be recovered,” as I have not always understood my own history.
If I am being honest, as an African American child growing up in a predominantly Black neighborhood, I did not know what Juneteenth was all about. The name of the holiday always intrigued me, but that was the extent of my knowledge and interest. Thus, I grew up without knowing an important part of who I am and my own history. But not only was the history of Juneteenth lost to me, many other aspects of African American history were lost. And ever since I have realized this fact, I have been exploring, rediscovery, and reclaiming that part of who I am.
Dr. David Childs
It was not until I became a formal educator that I understood the meaning and importance of the holiday. So, upon gaining a college education and becoming an educator was I then able to expand upon this recovery process and reclaim some of my life and history and connect to a more fully aware Black consciousness.
Much of the social studies education we receive in the United States omits significant information about the history and culture of people of color. My own history (as an African American) as well as that of Native Americans, Hispanics, and other minoritized groups, has been largely absent from U.S. textbooks and school curriculum. So, it should not come as a surprise that the average person knows very little about the history of Juneteenth.
Only just recently people have begun hearing about the holiday. Although there is a growing opposition against teaching any material on the topic related to racial and social justice, many people have begun to embrace notions of diversity, equity and inclusion. Especially as the slayings of folks like Tyre Nichols, Timothy McCree Johnson, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery by the hand of law enforcement have become more public. As a result of a growing collective mindset of racial reckoning in the country, the Biden administration acknowledged Juneteenth as a national holiday in 2021.
This was even as some states opposed the move. As such, it is as good a time as any to learn about some of the history of Juneteenth.
First and foremost, it is important that I point out that Juneteenth is not just a holiday for African Americans only. It is a U.S. holiday that should be celebrated by every American. As such, Juneteenth (also known as Freedom Day, Jubilee Day, Liberation Day, and Emancipation Day) commemorates the emancipation of all enslaved people in the United States.
The holiday originated in Texas, but is now celebrated throughout the country annually on June 19. Juneteenth commemorates the day when Union army general Gordon Granger announced Federal Order No. 3 in Galveston, Texas on June 19, 1865. The order proclaimed that all slaves in Texas were free. In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln had already passed the Emancipation Proclamation that officially outlawed slavery in states in rebellion against the Union. The challenge was that enforcement of the Proclamation generally relied on the advance of Union troops. Texas was the most remote southern state and therefore had a low amount of Union troops by the end of the Civil War.
As a result, Texas received Granger’s announcement from troops well after the war had ended. Although some likely had already heard the news about freedom, many Black Texans learned of their freedom two months after Robert E. Lee surrendered and ended the Civil War two-and-a-half years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. Juneteenth is commonly thought of as a celebration of the end of slavery in the United States. However, the practice was still legal and practiced in the two Union border states of Kentucky and Delaware until the ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment abolished non-penal slavery nationwide on December 6, 1865.
Although it was only recently that it was made a national holiday, Juneteenth celebrations date to 1866 and were originally church-centered community gatherings in Texas. The movement quickly spread across the South and became more popular in the 1920’s and 1930’s. As one can imagine, a growing awareness of the importance of the holiday took place during the Civil Rights movement of the 1960’s, continuing throughout the rest of the twentieth century. By the twenty-first century, Juneteenth was celebrated in most major cities across the United States, with Hawaii, North Dakota and South Dakota being the only states that do not recognize Juneteenth as a state holiday.
Today, Juneteenth is celebrated in a variety of ways such as public readings of the Emancipation Proclamation, sharing black literature, singing traditional Black spirituals, as well as people conducting rodeos, cookouts, historical reenactments, Miss Juneteenth contests and even street fairs. And this has been continuous since a year after Granger’s issuing of Order No. 3. And even though there was a long history of Juneteenth celebrations in the U.S., at the predominantly Black elementary school I attended, we learned nothing about Juneteenth and very little about African American history. A testament to the importance of schools in teaching a fuller US history to all students.
Barack Obama stated “Juneteenth has never been a celebration of victory or an acceptance of the way things are. It’s a celebration of progress. It’s an affirmation that despite the most painful parts of our history, change is possible—and there is still so much work to do.”
One of the most important ideals that we can draw from this passage is that there is still much work to do. There is a growing movement across the country that opposes the teaching of anything related to diversity, equity and inclusion in public schools and university classrooms. Often that opposition is directed at the teaching of African American history and culture. The work that Obama calls for is teaching and learning Black history, respect, open-mindedness for difference and ally-ship with others not like us.
Where can this work start?
In our homes, on the job and most importantly at our schools. Historically, PK-12 schools have long been the battleground wherein issues surrounding race and culture have taken place. And this is still the case today. Civil rights activist Marcus Garvey stated that “a people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots.” This quote hits home with me, as I am still that little Black elementary boy trying to find those roots that were hidden and neglected during my formative years of education.
Won’t you join me as a fellow human, as a fellow American on the path to uncover this history and learn about our new national holiday that represents freedom and justice for all. Happy Juneteenth.
Dr. David Childs, Ph.D. is Associate Professor of Social Studies and History and Director of Black Studies at Northern Kentucky University.
May many of our elected politicians in our state legislature and statewide elective offices read this wise essay.
They might change their tune about what needs to be taught about our history rather than restricting it to the dominant white male version as is happening now.