juneteenth

Introduction

Welcome to the lecture series fridays.

Which has gone from a read with me type thing to a let me just talk to you.

Today we’re gonna talk about the date june 19.

All my sources and notes from todays episode be linked to this episode and published on my website.

Summary

Im going to break down why this is so important to understand being a poc.
How white passing brings white privilege
How colorism could contribute to self hate, internalized racism,
And lastly, how to know if you’re adding fuel to the fire

Links used

https://www.juneteenth.com/history.htm

Audio used

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCg_XS2Yrs4&list=PLeSjQNUK_kinZyzXeZhdzcdeaK4YxYNsX&index=9

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Thz1zDAytzU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bR_0i_1RlNk

Simple history

June 19th 1865 is when the union soldiers pronounced that the war had ended and that slaves were now free.

This was two and half years after Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, which became official january 1, 1863

This general order number 3 is what general robert granger said to the people of texas.

He said:

"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 hired laborer."

Even with no where to go most slaves believed that leaving the south and heading north would be best while others stayed in the south with their families.

How to celebrate

Juneteenth is a time to celebrate and to gather with family members.

Juneteenth was a time to focus on education and self improvement, so speakers are brought in and elders talk about stories from the past. They also had prayer services.

Juneteenth activities would include rodeos, fishing, barbecuing and baseball.

Some popular foods included strawberry soda-pop, But barbecuing was the main spectacle of juneteenth. Meats cooked would include lamb, pork and beef.

During slavery, slaves were limited on clothes. In the early days of this holiday former slaves would throw their old garments of clothes into creeks and rivers and putting on clothes stole from their former masters.

What did it do back then

Society at the time wouldn’t allow these celebrations to be done on public property so most were in rural areas or near rivers. Church grounds were also acceptable.

Once black people held enough wealth to own property, grounds were dedicated to juneteenth celebrations.

Organizer Reveren Jack Yates was the first recorded purchase of the Emancipation Park in Houston, texas. With the fun-raising amount of 1,000$.

In (ma huy uh) Mexia, the local juneteenth organization purchased Booker T. Washington Park which was the original junteenth celebration site.

Why didn’t I know about Juneteenth?

Economic and cultural forces led to the decline of the celebration of juneteenth.

Classrooms and textbook education suffocated the details of the lives of former slaves. They teach in school that Lincoln proclaimed the emancipation proclamation on January 1st, 1863 resulting in the end of slavery and don’t mention the significance of General Grangers arrival.

The depression forced people to find work in cities. In these environments employers were less likely to allow their employees paid leave to celebrate junteenth. Unless the holiday fell on the weekend, less participated. July 4th was already established as an Independence holiday and was more celebrated.

During the 50s and 60s, the civil rights movement, even though black people at the time were struggling for racial equality, many linked their current struggles to historical struggles of their ancestors.

In 1968 juneteenth had another resurgence through the Poor peoples march to washington D.C. this influenced more celebrations in other areas who originally didn’t celebrate.

Today

Today juneteenth celebrates African american freedom and achievement while encouraging continuous self development and respect for all cultures.