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Juneteenth
What It Is and Why It Matters
This article has been revised and updated since the enactment of the new “Juneteenth Federal Holiday” that took effect on June 19, 2021.
The Long Road to Freeing the Slaves in the United States
Juneteenth is a holiday to commemorate the final emancipation of the enslaved people in the United States. The official celebration date is June 19, which is when the slaves were declared free in Texas, the westernmost slave state.
The Emancipation Proclamation was issued by President Abraham Lincoln on September 22, 1862, and took effect on January 1, 1863. Contrary to popular opinion, the Emancipation Proclamation did not free all of the slaves in the United States, only slaves in territories considered to be in “rebellion” against the Federal Government. It did not affect those slaves in border states that were fighting on the Union side, nor did it affect enslaved people in the southern states already under Union control.
As a believer in white supremacy, Abraham Lincoln at first viewed the goal of the “War Between the States” as a means to preserve the Union. However, as pressure from abolitionists mounted, Lincoln became more amenable to free some of the slaves. In addition, 200,000 freed slaves enlisted in the Army and Navy of the Union to…
