To My Beloved Members and Friends,

In 1863, during the American Civil war, President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which declared millions of slaves to be free, the end of slavery in the United States.  More than two years would pass before the news reached African Americans living in Texas.  It was not until Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas on “June 19”, 1865, the people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with the proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free.

Juneteenth was originally celebrated in Texas on June 19, 1866.  It marked the first anniversary of the day that African Americans first learned of the Emancipation Proclamation.  The holiday was celebrated by the former slaves with prayer, fasting food, song, dancing and wearing new clothes to represent new found freedom.

Juneteenth was challenged by the Jim Crow faithful of Texas.  When whites blocked blacks from using their public spaces, black people gathered near rivers and lakes and eventually raised enough money to buy their own celebration sites.

Despite local committees’ best efforts, with each new segregation law, with each new textbook whitewashing and brutal lynching in the South, African Americans felt increasingly disconnected from their history.  They could no longer faithfully celebrate freedom in a land that still rendered them second-class citizens worthy of dying for their country, but not worthy of being honored or treated equally for it.

In 1979 Texas became the first state to make Juneteenth an official holiday.  Since then, over 40 other states and the District of Colombia have recognized Juneteenth as a state holiday.

Every year on June 19th we must be reminded of our great history.  Our freedom to justice and equality.  We have come too far to turn around now.  We must continue to fight for justice in America.  Let freedom ring, let freedom ring!

Happy Juneteenth

Pastor Steve Daniels, Jr.