Photo Credit: Englishblackfriday.wordpress.com
Photo Credit: Englishblackfriday.wordpress.com
Photo Credit: Englishblackfriday.wordpress.com

Today is Juneteenth (June 19th)! Juneteenth.com refers to this special day for many African Americans as the ‘oldest known celebration commemorating the ending of slavery in the United States.’ The author writes:

“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…

Today, Juneteenth commemorates African American freedom and emphasizes education and achievement. It is a day, a week and in some areas a month marked with celebrations, guest speakers, picnics and family gatherings. It is a time for reflection and rejoicing. It is a time for assessment, self-improvement and planning the future. “

Today, Juneteenth is celebrated all over the world.

What special plans do you have for what the Smithsonian calls ‘Our other Independence Day?’

Let us know on Twitter @TheBurtonWire or @Ntellectual!

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TheBurtonWire.com is the premiere online destination for people who think for themselves. This blog offers news from the African Diaspora, culture that is produced by often overlooked populations and opinion that is informed and based on fact. Tired of the onslaught of websites and talking heads that regurgitate what people want to hear, TheBurtonWire.com is a publication that elevates news and perspectives that people need to hear. TheBurtonWire.com is for individual thinkers who understand that they are part of a larger collective. What is this collective? Free thinking people that care about the world, who will not be categorized or boxed in by society or culture and are interested in issues and topics that defy stereotypes and conventional wisdom.