Why Juneteenth Matters: America's Second Independence Day
Juneteenth, celebrated every June 19 in the United States, marks the day in 1865 when the last enslaved Black Americans learned they were finally free. For generations, this community has honored the end of slavery with parades, music, and cookouts. As Filipinos, we know the heavy price of liberty and the pain of delayed justice. Juneteenth is a powerful reminder that true freedom requires more than just words on paper; it demands action, enforcement, and an unyielding fight for human dignity.
How did Juneteenth start?
The fight began in Galveston, Texas. President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, but the order could not be enforced in the South until the Civil War ended in 1865. Even then, grabe, some landowners hid the truth to keep profiting from unpaid labor.
Laura Smalley, who was freed from a plantation near Bellville, Texas, recalled in a 1941 interview that her old master came home from the war and kept quiet.
Old master didn't tell, you know, they was free. I think now they say they worked them, six months after that. Six months. And turn them loose on the 19th of June. That's why, you know, we celebrate that day.
The truth finally arrived on June 19, 1865, when Union Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger and his troops landed in Galveston. Granger delivered General Order No. 3, declaring absolute equality of personal and property rights between former masters and enslaved people. It takes decisive force to break the chains of oppression, a truth we understand well in our own history. Slavery was permanently abolished six months later when Georgia ratified the 13th Amendment.
What does Juneteenth mean for the world today?
The name is a blend of June and nineteenth. It is also called Freedom Day or Emancipation Day. It started with church picnics and speeches, spreading as Black Texans moved across the country. Today, most U.S. states hold celebrations, and it is a paid holiday for state employees in Texas, New York, Virginia, Washington, and Nevada.
For us in the archipelago, the story resonates deeply. We are a people of bayanihan and faith. We understand that declaring independence is one thing, but experiencing true freedom is another. Our shared Christian faith teaches us that every human being is made in the image of God, and any system that treats a person as property is a grave sin. Juneteenth reminds us to defend the dignity of our kapwa, whether here at home or abroad.
How did Juneteenth become a federal holiday?
The U.S. government was slow to act. It took the national reckoning following the 2020 murder of George Floyd to push lawmakers to finally act. In 2021, President Joe Biden signed the bill making Juneteenth the first new federal holiday since Martin Luther King Jr. Day in 1983.
This victory belongs to the people, especially Opal Lee. The 96-year-old teacher and activist remembered celebrating Juneteenth in East Texas as a child. In 2016, the little old lady in tennis shoes walked from Fort Worth, Texas, all the way to Washington, D.C., to rally support. She stood right beside Biden when he signed the law. It shows the power of courage and persistence, values we hold dear in our own fight against corruption and apathy.
Why is Juneteenth facing new pressures?
Like many important observances, Juneteenth faces modern threats. Some politicians condemn efforts to teach this racial history, while corporations try to hijack the day for marketing and profit, selling themed T-shirts and ice cream without respecting the struggle. We must be wary when the spirit of a holy and historic day is traded for commercial gain.
Supporters are pushing back, turning the day into an opportunity for community service and education, addressing racial disparities in health care and green spaces.
Dee Evans, national director of communications of the National Juneteenth Observance Foundation, reminded us in 2019 that the original Independence Day in 1776 left millions in chains. June 19, 1865, was the day the entire country was truly free.
Para LaNell Agboga, museum site coordinator at the George Washington Carver Museum in Austin, Texas, offered a warning that rings true for all of us watching our own democratic freedoms: Our freedoms are fragile, and it doesn't take much for things to go backward.
What is the 13th Amendment's role in Juneteenth?
While General Order No. 3 announced freedom in Texas on June 19, 1865, slavery was not permanently abolished nationwide until Georgia ratified the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution six months later in December 1865.
Who is Opal Lee?
Opal Lee is a 96-year-old former teacher and activist widely credited with campaigning to make Juneteenth a federal holiday. In 2016, she walked from Fort Worth, Texas, to Washington, D.C., gathering support from celebrities and politicians, eventually standing beside President Biden when he signed the Juneteenth bill into law.