Oxford/Seymour
JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION!

What is Juneteenth?

Juneteenth, also known as Emancipation Day or Freedom Day, is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the emancipation of enslaved African Americans. It is celebrated on June 19, the anniversary of the announcement of General Order No. 3, which was issued by Major General Gordon Granger on June 19, 1865, proclaiming freedom for slaves in Texas.

The Emancipation Proclamation, which had been issued by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, had legally ended slavery in the Confederate states, but news of the proclamation did not reach Texas until two and a half years later. When General Granger arrived in Galveston, he read General Order No. 3 to the enslaved people there, informing them that they were free.

Juneteenth has been celebrated by African Americans since the late 1800s. It is a time to commemorate the end of slavery, celebrate African American culture, and reflect on the progress that has been made since then. Juneteenth is also a time to remember the work that still needs to be done to achieve racial equality.

In recent years, Juneteenth has become more widely celebrated in the United States and is now a federal holiday. Juneteenth is now a time for all Americans to come together and celebrate the end of slavery and the progress that has been made in the fight for racial equality.