Today is Juneteenth – the movement is on to make this critical part of American history a national holiday

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Juneteenth (Freedom Day) is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. 47 states, plus D.C., recognize Juneteenth as a state holiday, but legislation to declare it an official national holiday has repeatedly stalled in Congress. Dating back to 1865, it was on June 19th that the Union soldiers, led by Major General Gordon Granger, landed at Galveston, Texas with news that the war had ended and that the enslaved were now free. Note that this was two and a half years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation – which had become official January 1, 1863. The Emancipation Proclamation had little impact on the Texans due to the minimal number of Union troops to enforce the new Executive Order. However, with the surrender of General Lee in April of 1865, and the arrival of General Granger’s regiment, the forces were finally strong enough to influence and overcome the resistance. Later attempts to explain this two and a half year delay in the receipt of this important news have yielded several versions that have been handed down through the years. Often told is the story of a messenger who was murdered on his way to Texas with the news of freedom. Another is that the news was deliberately withheld by the enslavers to maintain the labor force on the plantations. And still another is that federal troops actually waited for the slave owners to reap the benefits of one last cotton harvest before going to Texas to enforce the Emancipation Proclamation. All of which, or none of these versions could be true. Certainly, for some, President Lincoln's authority over the rebellious states was in question. Whatever the reasons, conditions in Texas remained status quo well beyond what was statutory. by @jill_dehaan

A post shared by Shep LaLGBTCenter (@sheplalgbtcenter) on Jun 19, 2020 at 1:37am PDT

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Today is Juneteenth. It should be a national holiday. Just as Americans learn the history of July 4, understanding and celebrating Juneteenth is a critical part of American history. So I wanted to share a few facts and resources today to do my small part. Visit my story to swipe up and view these resources.

A post shared by Adam Schiff (@repadamschiff) on Jun 19, 2020 at 11:06am PDT

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Revolution evolution equality equanimity freedom criminal justice not for “just us” racial justice education health care celebrate today what can and will be #juneteenth step up your game!

A post shared by Sandra Bernhard (@sandragbernhard) on Jun 19, 2020 at 7:51am PDT