This year, JABA employees will have Friday off in honor of Juneteenth. This day is also known as Freedom Day, Jubilee Day, Liberation Day and Emancipation Day. It is the holiday celebrating the emancipation of those who had been enslaved in the United States.
On June 19, 1865, Federal troops marched into Galveston TX, two months after the surrender of Confederate General Robert E. Lee at Appomattox VA, to enforce the Emancipation Proclamation made official in 1863. With the reading of Executive Order #3 by Union General Gordon Granger, 250,000 enslaved people living in TX were liberated.
The first Juneteenth celebration occurred in 1866 in Black communities across Texas. And since then, it has been internationally recognized. In 1979, it was made an official holiday in Texas. Last year Governor Northam made it official in Virginia. It has been celebrated in Charlottesville long before 2020 - this year is the 21st celebration. It marks the past, present, and future of racial equality, equity, and the ongoing struggle for true freedom.
The Jefferson School City Center is holding concerts, cultural and heritage, and special events on June 19, from 12-4:00 pm, and the entire afternoon is free. What a great way to celebrate the true meaning of Juneteenth. Below, you can find links to the Jefferson School event and other resources.
We thank the JABA Board of Directors for their commitment to equity and for approving the new holiday be added to our calendar. Have a great Juneteenth!
Marta M. Keane
JABA Chief Executive Officer
ATTEND: Juneteenth 2021: Emancipation of Mind, Body and Spirit. Presentations, live music, food at the Jefferson School. The event is free but ticketed. Click the link to find out more.
LISTEN: What Is Juneteenth? Historians Explain The Holiday's Importance
WATCH: Special video presentation by historian Hari Jones, former Assistant Director and Curator at the African American Civil War Freedom Foundation and Museum in Washington, D.C.