06/19/2026
The Alliance is honored to recognize Juneteenth. Though Juneteenth was first celebrated in Texas in 1866 and declared a Texas holiday in 1980, President Biden declared it a national holiday in 2021.
For those that don’t know the history and significance of Juneteenth, here are the basic historical facts:
The Emancipation Proclamation was signed on January 1, 1863, by President Abraham Lincoln. The Proclamation declared “that all persons held as slaves” within rebellious states “are, and henceforward shall be free.”
But the Civil War raged on until General Robert E. Lee’s defeat and surrender on April 9, 1865 at the Appomattox Courthouse in Virginia. (Slowly, the Emancipation Proclamation became the law of the land and was then codified in the 13th Amendment in December, 1865.)
But even after Lee’s surrender on April 9, 1865, in the westernmost Confederate State, Texas, slaves were not free. In Texas, slavery had continued as the state experienced no large-scale fighting or significant presence of Union troops. Many enslavers from outside the Lone Star State had moved there, as they viewed it as a haven for slavery even as the Civil War continued.
Slaves in Texas did not know the Emancipation Proclamation was now the law of the land, and it took time for the message of the end of the Civil War to get to Texas.
Freedom finally came to the enslaved people in Texas on June 19, 1865, two months after Lee’s surrender in Virginia, when 2,000 Union troops led by General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston Bay, Texas and announced that 250,000 slaves in Texas were declared free on January 1, 1863 by President Lincoln and that slavery would no longer be permitted in Texas with the end of the Civil War and the defeat of the Confederacy. This day forever became known as “Juneteenth” by the freed people of Texas.
Juneteenth is a day of reflection, education, and celebration. It represents not only the end of slavery but also the ongoing struggle for civil rights and equality. At the Alliance, we talk often about the force multipliers of trauma, violence, and abuse which include racism, poverty, and historic oppression.
Juneteenth is a time to honor the resilience and achievements of African Americans. It serves as a reminder of the historical injustices faced by Black people and underscores the importance of continuing the fight for racial equality and justice. The holiday encourages all Americans to reflect on the past, acknowledge the progress made, and commit to building a more equitable future.
Juneteenth is more than a historical milestone; it is a call to action and a celebration of freedom, resilience, hope, and the ongoing pursuit of justice.
Juneteenth, while a day of freedom or what is sometimes referred to as the "second Independence Day", is also an example of justice delayed. Slaves in Texas were forced to toil an additional 2 months after the Confederates surrendered in Appomattox, Virginia. The day, a celebration, is also a reminder that the work is not finished for race relations, and certainly not finished for survivors of domestic and sexual violence.
On Juneteenth, we also honor Opal Lee, 99 years young (and all of the activists who came alongside her) to push for Juneteenth to be recognized nationally. She was there with President Biden in 2021 when he signed the Juneteenth holiday legislation.
She has received the Presidential Medal of Freedom for her relentless advocacy.
With special thanks to our own Alliance team members for helping to draft this remembrance.
