JUNETEENTH IN GEORGIANA

BY RAY VAN COR

The Greenville Standard

 

Juneteenth is observed annually nationwide on June 19 and commemorates events that took place 160 years ago and traces its roots back to Galveston, Texas.

Juneteenth marks when the last Black slaves of the Confederacy were ordered free following the arrival of Union troops.

The holiday commemorates the full and complete enactment of the Emancipation Proclamation in the United States.

President Abraham Lincoln issued the proclamation to free enslaved African Americans in secessionist states on Jan. 1, 1863, but enslaved people in Galveston would not learn of their freedom until two years later.

The implementation of the Emancipation Proclamation was limited in areas still under Confederate control, delaying freedom for many, particularly in Texas.

On June 19, 1865, Union troops freed enslaved African Americans in Galveston Bay and across Texas.

While federal offices are closed for the holiday, states may still determine whether or not it is a state holiday, giving state workers the day off.

This year, 33 states and Washington, DC honor Juneteenth as a state holiday.

The City of Georgiana celebrated Juneteenth holiday this past Saturday. The Downtown Georgiana Group organized the festivities and kicked off the holiday with a small but lively parade which led to the Hank Williams Sr. Memorial Park.

Joining the Juneteenth celebrations in Georgiana was the City of Greenville Mayor Jaquez Brown, who also spoke to the crowd in the park.

Georgiana Mayor Nina Bonner, who incidentally is also Georgiana’s first female Black Mayor also spoke at the commemoration.

The Butler County Alabama Veterans Association provided hotdogs and hamburgers for those in attendance.

Retired U.S, Marine Gunnery Sergeant Bernard Rudolph said, “This holiday is part of our heritage. We’ve come a long way since 1865.”