Juneteenth is a Black American holiday.Β
We call Juneteenth many things: Black Independence Day, Freedom Day, Emancipation Day, Jubilee Day. We celebrate and honor our ancestors.Β
December 31 is recognized as Watch Night or Freedomβs Eve in Black American churches because it marks the day our enslaved ancestors were awaiting news of their freedom going into 1863. On January 1, 1863, President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. But all of the ancestors wouldnβt be freed until June 19, 1865 for those in Galveston, Texas and even January 23, 1866 for those in New Jersey (the last slave state). (Itβs also worth noting that our people under the Choctaw and Chickasaw Nations wouldnβt be freed untilΒ April 28, 1866 andΒ June 14, 1866 for those under the Cherokee Nation by way of the Treaties.)
Since 1866, Black Americans in Texas have been commemorating the emancipation of our people by way of reading the Emancipation Proclamation and coming together to have parades, free festivities, and later on pageants. Thereafter, it spread to select states as an annual day of commemoration of our people in our homeland.Β
Hereβs a short silent video filmed during the 1925 Juneteenth celebration in Beaumont, Texas:
(Itβs also worth noting that the Mascogos tribeΒ in Coahuila, Mexico celebrate Juneteenth over there as well. Quick history lesson: A total ofΒ 305,326 Africans were shipped to the US to be enslaved alongside of American Indians who were already or would become enslaved as prisoners of war, as well as those who stayed behind refusing toΒ leave and walk the Trail of Tears to Oklahoma. In the United States, you were either enslaved under the English territories, the Dutch, the French, the Spanish, or under the Nations of what would called the FiveΒ βCivilizedβΒ Native American Tribes: Cherokee, Creek (Muscogee), Chickasaw, Choctaw, and Seminoles.Β Mascogos descend from the Seminoles who escaped slavery during the Seminole Wars, or the Gullah Wars that lasted for more than 100 years if you will, and then settled at El Nacimiento inΒ 1852.)
We largely wave our red, white and blue flags on Juneteenth. These are the only colors that represent Juneteenth. But sometimes you may see others wave our Black American Heritage flag (red, black, and gold).
Juneteenth is a day of respect.Β It has nothing to do with Africa, diversity, inclusion, immigration, your Pan-African flag, your cashapps, nor your commerce businesses. It is not a day of βwhat aboutβ isms. It is not a day to tap into your inner colonizer and attempt to wipe out our existence. That is ethnocide and anti-Black American. If you canβt attend a Black American (centered) event thatβs filled with education on the day, our music, our food and other centered activities because itβs not centered around yoursβ¦that is a you problem. Respect our day for what and whom it stands for in our homeland.Β
Juneteenth flag creator: βBoston Benβ HaithΒ
It was created in 1997. The red, white and blue colors represent the American flag. The five-point star represents the Lone State (Texas). The white burst around the star represents a nova, the beginning of a new star. The new beginning for Black Americans.Β
Black American Heritage Flag creators:Β Melvin CharlesΒ &Β Gleason T. Jackson
It was created in 1967, our Civil Rights era. The color black represents the ethnic pride for who we are. Red represents the bloodΒ shed for freedom, equality, justice and human dignity. Gold fig wreath represents intellect, prosperity, and peace.Β The sword represents the strength and authority exhibited by a Black culture that made many contributions to the world in mathematics, art, medicine, and physical science, heralding the contributions that Black Americans would make in these and other fields.Β
SN: While weβre talking about flags, I should note that Grace Wisher, a 13-year-old free Black girl from Baltimore helped stitched the Star Spangled flag,Β which would inspire the national anthemΒ during her six years of service toΒ Mary Pickersgill. I ainβt even gon hold you. I never looked too far into it, but she prob sewedΒ that whole American flag her damn self. They love lying about history here until you start unearthing them old documents.Β
In conclusion,Β Juneteenth is a Black American holiday. Respect us and our ancestors.
