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“I don't want people to think that celebrating freedom via Juneteenth is just about a Black holiday or just a Texas holiday. It's about knowing that we all have a stake in making this the best country in the world. It all hinges on each of us having the freedom to do whatever is necessary to get there.” - Opal Lee

On June 18, 1865, just days after the Civil War had ended, roughly 2,000 Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas. With them was Maj. Gen. Gordan Granger, dispatched to bring Texas under control. The day after their arrival, June 19, 1865, he issued five General Orders. General Order, No. 3 plainly and decisively stated: 

“The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free.”

President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation took effect more than two years earlier. However, slaveholders in Texas ignored it until Union troops arrived to enforce it. 

General Order No. 3 paved the way for Juneteenth, a blend of "June" and "nineteenth.” It pays tribute to when freedom finally reached those to whom it had long been denied. The 13th Amendment was ratified six months later, in December 1865. Juneteenth celebrates the end of slavery in the United States and honors Black freedom, culture, and resilience. Rooted in a rich, complex history, it’s a day filled with community traditions, family gatherings, introspection, and joy. 

The First Celebrations 

In 1866, one year after emancipation was enforced in Texas, the Black community in Galveston held the first public celebration marking their freedom. Use of the name “Juneteenth” came later, in the 1890s. Early accounts refer to it as “Freedom Day,” “Emancipation Day,” and “Jubilee Day,” among other names. These first gatherings set the tone for those that followed--events grounded in unity, reflection, resilience, self-improvement, and cultural pride. 

These early Juneteenth gatherings often took place on church grounds or in parks. They included family reunions, sermons, readings of the Emancipation Proclamation, music, dancing, and barbecues. As Black Texans gained more economic independence, they began to purchase land, called “emancipation grounds,” specifically for these celebrations. In 1872, a group of formerly enslaved men in Houston (Rev. Jack Yates, Richard Allen, Richard Brock, and Elias Dibble) paid $800 to purchase 10 acres of land for Juneteenth festivities. That site became Emancipation Park. It is the oldest public park in Houston, a lasting symbol of Black freedom, community investment, and cultural resilience.

A Celebration Denied 

Although Reconstruction began with the promise of freedom and citizenship for formerly enslaved people, it quickly languished during President Andrew Johnson’s presidency. President Johnson opposed equal rights for Black Americans and issued pardons to former Confederates, allowing many to return to power in Southern state governments. Federal protections were gradually withdrawn, and state officials passed “Black Codes” restricting the rights, mobility, and work of the newly freed. White supremacist violence intensified, led by groups like the Ku Klux Klan. Voter suppression tactics stripped Black citizens of their political power. These lead to the steady erosion of the hard-won freedoms of emancipation. As those freedoms were taken away, Juneteenth celebrations became more difficult, even dangerous, to hold in public. 

Recognition and Resurgence 

During the Great Migration, roughly 1916-1970, millions of Black Southerners moved to cities across the Midwest, West, and Northeast in search of greater opportunity. Black Texans brought the traditions of Juneteenth, helping it take root far beyond its place of origin. What began as local celebrations quietly expanded across the country, sustained by families, churches, and community gatherings that kept the memory alive across generations. 

Juneteenth’s journey to eventual federal recognition in June 2021 was shaped by decades of community leadership and activism. Texas became the first state to declare it a state holiday in 1979. Other states followed. The campaign gained national momentum following the 2020 protests for racial justice, when millions of Americans reckoned with the legacy of institutionalized racism and the brutality left in its wake.  

One of the most visible advocates for Juneteenth’s national recognition was Opal Lee, a retired educator and longtime activist from Fort Worth, Texas. Known as the “Grandmother of Juneteenth,” she began a symbolic walking campaign in 2016 at age 89. She traveled to cities across the country, walking 2.5 miles in each city to represent the 2.5 years it took for freedom to reach enslaved people in Texas after the Emancipation Proclamation. Her efforts helped bring national attention to Juneteenth and played a key role in the push for federal recognition.

Traditions and Symbols 

While Juneteenth celebrations vary across regions and families, food remains at the center of each. Red foods and drinks like strawberry soda, hibiscus punch, and red velvet cake are commonly served. Why? The color red, rooted in West African cultural and spiritual practices, represents resilience, sacrifice, and life. Barbecue is another important culinary staple, often prepared as a communal activity and deeply connected to Black Southern culinary traditions. Together, these foods reflect both the celebratory nature of the holiday and its ties to deeper cultural and historical meaning.

Juneteenth also serves as a platform for education and civic engagement. In recent years, celebrations have often included voter registration drives, public history programs, and interfaith dialogues. Across the country, communities embrace the holiday as a time to both recognize the end of slavery and advocate for continued progress. For many, it’s a day of both celebration and reflection, a moment to honor past struggles while pressing for justice today.

Why Juneteenth Matters Today

In Skokie, local organizations, including the library, will cohost a Juneteenth Community Unity Celebration on Saturday, June 14. Held in Oakton Park, the event will feature live music, guest speakers, and interactive learning opportunities focused on the history and significance of Juneteenth. Designed for all ages, this community celebration invites residents to come together in reflection, dialogue, and shared experience. The library will host additional events that spotlight Juneteenth as well.

As a federal holiday, Juneteenth offers a meaningful opportunity, both locally and nationally. We can deepen our historical awareness, celebrate the progress we’ve made, and confront the ongoing challenges to achieving meaningful equality and justice for all. Local events bridge the past and present. They inspire continued learning, civic engagement, and a stronger commitment to building a more inclusive future for all.