I hope everyone had a wonderful Juneteenth weekend! Juneteenth is now celebrated as a federal holiday across the country, but the day is especially significant for Black Texans. So, what makes Juneteenth important for Texas?
What is Juneteenth?
On June 19, 1865 in Galveston, Texas, General Gordon Granger issued General Order No. 3, announcing that all slaves were freed in Texas. The announcement was bittersweet because slaves in Texas were the last to hear about their freedom. Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, and many Union soldiers arrived in Confederate states to read the proclamation to slaves. However, in Texas, it took slaves two years to hear the news in Galveston. After that, the news spread among more than 250,000 enslaved Texans.
What Does It Mean for Houston?
After slaves learned they were freed in Galveston, some made the trek to Houston. Freedmen’s Town, in the city’s Fourth Ward, became a hub for many freed Black Texans. They chose the area near Buffalo Bayou because it was swampy and cheap. Historic institutions would populate the area. For example, the Gregory School opened in 1872 and educated many Black children in Freedmen’s Town. It was later rebuilt into a library that stands in the community today. Other communities also became a hub for Black Texans, including Third Ward and Fifth Ward. When Houstonians wanted a place to celebrate Juneteenth, community members raised money for a park in Third Ward, which is known today as Emancipation Park.
How Do You Lean More?
- Houston artist Reginald Adams, helped paint a Galveston mural that honors Juneteenth’s history, and spoke about the importance of the holiday.
- If you want to learn more about Freedmen’s Town, we spoke with a resident and local historian about the area.
- I’ve learned a lot about Juneteenth and Texas’ Black history through reporting. If you want to learn more about the freed slaves who migrated from Galveston to Houston, read my story about The Emancipation Trail.
