# Happy Juneteenth! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 19, 2010, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-juneteenth/543783 "2010-06-19T17:20:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![The\_Understander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3da27b/32.png) [@The\_Understander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Understander)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2010, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-juneteenth/543783/1 "2010-06-19T17:20:34Z")
The 145th anniversary of a tremendous step toward a more perfect Union. Although the Emancipation Proclamation took effect as of January 1, 1863, the Civil War, as we know, had yet to end at that time, and so for many people still enslaved, this pronouncement was the true beginning of a long hard road to freedom: “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 rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and free laborer.” –_Major General Gordon Granger Galveston, TX June 19, 1865_ From: [http://www.juneteenth.com/history.htm](http://www.juneteenth.com/history.htm) Here’s the 2009 statement from the White House, on the 144th anniversary: STATEMENT FROM PRESIDENT OBAMA ON THE OCCASION OF JUNETEENTH On this day in 1865, more than two years after President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, those who found themselves still enslaved in Galveston, Texas had their hopes realized and their prayers answered. Contrary to what others had told them, the rumors they had heard were indeed true. The Civil War had ended, and they were now free. From: [http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/statement-president-obama-occasion-juneteenth](http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/statement-president-obama-occasion-juneteenth) So let’s raise our glasses in tribute, and have a thought for all those who sacrificed and continue to sacrifice in the cause of freedom here in America and around the world. Cheers! ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2010, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-juneteenth/543783/2 "2010-06-19T17:27:43Z")
I often imagine how it must have been to realize that 1) you were now free from slavery and 2) you had been kept in the dark about it for two years. The word “bittersweet” doesn’t really do it justice. Happy Juneteenth! ---
**Author:** ![The\_Understander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3da27b/32.png) [@The\_Understander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Understander)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2010, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-juneteenth/543783/3 "2010-06-19T18:23:21Z")
> [@monstro](#): > > I often imagine how it must have been to realize that 1) you were now free from slavery and 2) you had been kept in the dark about it for two years. > > The word “bittersweet” doesn’t really do it justice. > > Happy Juneteenth! No kidding, **monstro**. I imagine on the way north some enterprising lawyer-to-be computing a formula for back wages to January 1, 1863. ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2010, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-juneteenth/543783/4 "2010-06-19T23:35:20Z")
Huzzah! ---
**Author:** ![Beerman1963](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/2acd7d/32.png) [@Beerman1963](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beerman1963)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2010, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-juneteenth/543783/5 "2010-06-20T03:29:46Z")
Does anyone else but Texans celebrate Juneteenth? My wife is from CA. and had never heard of it. I know that it started here but was wondering if maybe it spread elsewhere. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2010, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-juneteenth/543783/6 "2010-06-20T03:37:59Z")
Hmm. I didn’t realize it was Juneteenth. Well isn’t this grand? ---
**Author:** ![chela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chela/32/21582_2.png) [@chela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chela)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2010, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-juneteenth/543783/7 "2010-06-20T04:18:53Z")
In honor of the event take a listen to the song Saskatchewan by Laura Love (singer, songwriter, bluegrass musician). It’s about the Juneteenth message finally reaching a woman cotton picker who then decides to go where “there ain’t no cotton”, by going to Saskatchewan. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2010, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-juneteenth/543783/8 "2010-06-20T14:22:31Z")
> [@Beerman1963](#): > > Does anyone else but Texans celebrate Juneteenth? > My wife is from CA. and had never heard of it. > I know that it started here but was wondering if maybe it spread elsewhere. My mother would drag me to Juneteenth celebrations as a kid. We lived in GA. ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2010, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-juneteenth/543783/9 "2010-06-20T14:29:23Z")
I believe we have some here in MS as well.