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155 years ago today… Juneteenth
What is Juneteenth?
Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. 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. 155 years ago, today.
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.
Today in America…
Today, Juneteenth is enjoying a phenomenal growth rate within communities and organizations throughout the country. Institutions such as the Smithsonian, the Henry Ford Museum and others have begun sponsoring Juneteenth-centered activities. In recent years, a number of local and national Juneteenth organizations have arisen to take their place alongside older organizations – all with the mission to promote and cultivate knowledge and appreciation of African American history and culture.
Juneteenth today, celebrates African American freedom and achievement, while encouraging continuous self-development and respect for all cultures. As it takes on a more national, symbolic and even global perspective, the events of 1865 in Texas are not forgotten, for all of the roots tie back to this fertile soil from which a national day of pride is growing.
The future of Juneteenth looks bright as the number of cities and states creating Juneteenth committees continues to increase. Respect and appreciation for all of our differences grow out of exposure and working together. Getting involved and supporting Juneteenth celebrations creates new bonds of friendship and understanding among us. This indeed brightens our future – the very Spirit of Juneteenth.
Learning more in Rhode Island…
Due to the COVID19 Epidemic, the June 14th celebration at Roger Williams Park has been cancelled, and a Virtual Juneteenth RI Celebration on Facebook Live from 7 to 9pm will take its place tonight. All are invited to join in.
The event is sponsored by MUSICFEEN and the City of Providence, Department of Arts, Culture and Tourism. It will be hosted by Bad Lad Dennis-Lopes and DJ Sharon Ladyruck Ashley.
Rhode Island African American Sites… on the road with “Stages of Freedom”
Nothing promotes a driving tour of Rhode Island like a pandemic. So, take your masks, and phone/cameras and head off to some local historic locations in Rhode Island that you might never have known were there.
“On the Rhode to Freedom: A Roadside Guide to African American Sites in Rhode Island” is the outcome of three year’s worth of research by public scholar Robb Dimmick under grants from the Rhode Island Council for the Humanities, the Herman H. Rose Civic, Cultural and Media Access Fund, and the Providence Warwick Convention and Visitors Bureau.
The guide assembles an extraordinary history of African Americans’ contributions to the landscape of the state. With over 400 entries, the guide evidences the surprising number of buildings, sites, and markers that hold significant facts of Black life in Rhode Island, a state whose geographic smallness belies its enormous accomplishments. The guide can be accessed at: https://www.stagesoffreedom.org/on-the-rhode-to-freedom
Stroll the highways and byways of Rhode Island and be astonished by the extraordinarily rich, compelling and groundbreaking contributions African Americans have made to the state’s landscape and cultural heritage. On foot or by car, or in the comfort or your own home, this guide will assist you in locating and exploring exciting sites, events and people. From slavery to abolition, reconstruction to the gilded age, from civil rights to present day, this is a story unlike any other in the country.
Sites date as far back as the 18th century with Aaron Briggs, the enslaved youth who assisted with the burning of the Gaspee, to more recent sites such as the newly named Bannister Street on College Hill.
If you visit any of these sites, you can send in your photos along with your comments and reactions to [email protected] and we will print them, or post them on our Facebook page or on Twitter.
For more information, contact Ray Rickman or Robb Dimmick at [email protected] (401) 527-3304
Two Local Events…
Black Lives Events
Friday, Jun 19 4:00pm Rhode Island Statehouse, 82 Smith St, Providence
Friday, Jun 19 5:00pm Richmond Town Hall, 5 Richmond Townhouse Rd., Wyoming, RI
Friday, Jun 19, 5pm – Newport City Hall
The official Juneteenth Poem…
Enjoy this poem, considered the “official” poem by Kristina Kay.
We Rose
From Africa’s heart, we rose
Already a people, our faces ebon, our bodies lean,
We rose
Skills of art, life, beauty and family
Crushed by forces we knew nothing of, we rose
Survive we must, we did,
We rose
We rose to be you, we rose to be me,
Above everything expected, we rose
To become the knowledge we never knew,
We rose
Dream, we did
Act we must