It's Day 170 of the Year 2019 CE (Gregorian), meaning that it's June 19, 2019 (Gregorian), or 13.0.6.10.11 by the long count Before I start, I'm going to toss in one bit of unrelated history, a prescient one-liner fron Wikipedia's summary of historical events for June 19th: 2012 – WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange requested asylum in London's Ecuadorian Embassy for fear of extradition to the US after publication of previously classified documents including footage of civilian killings by the US army.
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So, Juneteenth. The short form is that this is when the news of the abolition of slavery hit Galveston. So why would that specific date be such a BFD outside of Galveston? Well .... Abe Lincoln's 1862 Emancipation Proclamation freed some of the slaves in the US with an effective date of January 1, 1863. The 13th Amendment, Constitutionally prohibiting slavery was passed by the SEnte in April 1864, by the House in January 1865, and ratified on December 6, 1865. Lee had surrendered at Appomattox on April 9, 1865, and Jefferson Davis was captured on May 10, 1865. Gordon Granger arrived at Galveston with 2.000 US troops to occupy the now defeated Texas on June 18, 1865. On the following day he read aloud from the balcony of a local building a document known as "General Order No. 3": as follows:
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 personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired labor. The freedmen are advised to remain quietly at their present homes and work for wages. They are informed that they will not be allowed to collect at military posts and that they will not be supported in idleness either there or elsewhere.-
There was a large celebration among the freed slave populace of Galveston, which had swelled to great zise as slaveowners from other parts of the Confederacy had fled to Tejas taking some or all of their slaves along with them. This became an annual event, which was given official status in Texas in 1980. It spread, officially or otherwise, throughout the US and is now celebrated in 43 states as either an official state holiday or a ceremonial holiday, or day of observance.
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So, first and foremost, we need a celebration
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Traditionally such celebrations include traditional songs such as Swing Low Sweet Chariot:
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Also, Lift Every Voice and Sing:
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ok, so let's just add a few more appropriate pieces without further commentary except to note that the struggle continues:
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Image is June 19, Emancipation Day. Corpus Christi, 1913, by Geroge McCuistion.
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Its an open thread so have at it. The floor is yours .
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Cross posted from caucus99percent.com