06/19/2026
DYK that General Gordan Granger was born in the hamlet of Joy, New York (in the Town of Sodus) located in Wayne County?
Along with 1,800 Union troops, General Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, to deliver 5 orders – the third of which brought Black freedom to the state nearly 3 years after Lincoln had already declared Emancipation Proclamation in September 1862. Granger's relatively small role of delivering a routine order announced the freedom of 250,000 enslaved individuals, ensuing in an immense amount of joy and celebration in Texas.
The Civil War had continued on after Emancipation Proclamation and enslaved individuals in Confederate-held territories were not free before Juneteenth. Texas in particular remained relatively untouched by the war, and with little Union troop presence, emancipation was not enforced until General Order No. 3.
For many years, African Americans were still prohibited from celebrating this anniversary in public spaces, resulting in the purchase of Emancipation Park in Houston, TX by Black land owners. And with the dissolution of the 40 acres and a mule promise, land ownership continued to be a generational financial hurdle into the future.
We hope you consider visiting a public space or preserve near you this holiday weekend to enjoy our shared land and access to nature.
