June 19, 1865 – The historical foundation of “Juneteenth”…

June 19, 2025 by  
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“Juneteenth”, also known as “Freedom Day”, traces its roots to June 19, 1865, when Union General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, and issued General Order No. 3, officially freeing the last enslaved people in the western Confederacy. Though President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation went into effect on January 1, 1863, its enforcement relied on Union military presence, leaving remote areas like Texas unaware of their liberty until Granger’s announcement more than two years later.

In the years that followed, formerly enslaved communities in Texas and beyond began marking June 19th with readings of the Emancipation Proclamation, songs like “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” and family gatherings. These early observances blended solemn reflection on the horrors of slavery with joyful celebration of resilience and community, laying the groundwork for a distinctly African American holiday honoring freedom and heritage.

Though Texas led the way by making Juneteenth an official state holiday in 1980, its recognition spread gradually until June 17, 2021, when it became a federal holiday—Juneteenth National Independence Day. Today, Juneteenth invites all Americans to reflect on our nation’s delayed promise of liberty, celebrate African American culture, and renew the commitment to racial equality and justice.

Since Juneteenth’s elevation to a federal holiday in 2021, collectors have eagerly hunted for contemporary newspaper accounts of those first celebrations following General Granger’s Order.  Yet, such early reports remain elusive—a notable exception being a brief item in the June 21, 1866 issue of The New York Times (shown below).

Although firsthand press coverage is scarce, that scarcity in no way diminishes the profound significance of American slavery’s end.  Our nation’s work to fulfill the promise enshrined in the Declaration of Independence—“that all men are created equal” and endowed with “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness”—remains unfinished.  We must press on with unwavering resolve, viewing one another through the lens of divine dignity birthed by our Creator and allowing that vision to guide how we honor and uplift each and every person.
For those who would like to explore additional related topics through the eyes of “rare & early” newspapers, feel free to peruse the issues found through the following links:

Slavery

Emancipation

Abolition

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Filed under: Noteworthy Issues, Post Civil War, The Collectible Community
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