06/19/2026
September 22, 1862, Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. It stated all slaves were free as of January 1 , 1863.
But, in 1863, the War Between the States was still raging, with Texas as an active participant on the Confederate side. No matter WHAT sort of proclamations President Lincoln issued at the time, Texans weren’t about to pay any attention to them. Besides, communications were dicey in these days and it is possible, even likely, that most Texans didn’t even hear about Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation.
When the Confederacy finally fell, in 1865, Gen. Gordon Granger, U.S. Army, was placed in command of Texas. He landed at Galveston on June 19, 1865, and finally ended slavery in Texas 30 months after the Emancipation was signed.
Today, June 19 is celebrated as “JUNETEENTH” in Texas which usually starts with worship services featuring the National Anthem “Lift Every Voice and Sing” by James Weldon Johnson. These services are followed by parades, picnics, and a host of other festive activities. “Freedom” from bo***ge is cause for celebration.
“JUNETEENTH” June 19, is an official statement holiday in Texas. On June 13, 1979, in a special ceremony on the State Capitol Grounds, Governor Bill Clements signed the bill into law. The bill (House Bill 1016) was sponsored by Representative Al Edwards of Houston, Texas. It passed the House of Representatives on May 3, 1979, and the Senate on June 9, 1979. Texas was the first state in the United States to pass a bill making the Emancipation Proclamation Day an official state holiday.
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