I think of Juneteenth as our Independence Day because the original Independence Day does not take us into consideration. I am Angela Thorp. I am a public historian based in North Carolina. In my work, I worked to bring forth the rich and deep stories of African American people in a number of creative ways, including exhibit programs and other experience. The Emancipation Proclamation was signed January 1st 18 63 and it's interesting because this document is seen as a riel sort of win for the United States, specifically the union it's signed in the midst of the Civil War. But what we have to understand is that this document or this proclamation does not free all and sleep. So when we think about how is the Emancipation Proclamation? Of course we have to think about How is the Union Army specifically sort of advancing through? Inveterate Steve, The share this information Texas is ah, hot spot, if you will, for defiance of the Emancipation Proclamation. Specifically, I think that is part of what makes Juneteenth story so special. If we think of Texas geographically, it is in the furthest reaches of the Confederacy. That information is not getting to Texas like it is some other places. And if you're thinking about the Union Army physically advancing through the South, that journey is taking a long time again. There's just a defiance on the part of a number of people, right? A true refusal to let people out of bonded. You would just, I think, not a steady waiting six months earlier in Tunnel in July 19 June. That's why you know this every day we have some examples of people literally forcing the individuals the black individuals that they're holding in bondage to travel as faras Texas to escape this impending reality of freedom from slavery again, Texas eventually absorbed close to 150,000 enslaved people to avoid impending black liberations. General Ranger is one of the foremost people who is responsible for, I guess you can say, occupying Texas one. It falls to the union in enforcing new realities in Texas. In Galveston, specifically June 19th 18 65 Juneteenth sort of becomes a reality. General Order three is announced in which soldiers air literally going from place to place space to space, announcing through Galveston, Texas. Hey, enslaved accents are free. I think What's really interesting, though in the language of his order, if you read it, is that it encourages or outright instruct and slave people formerly enslaved peoples who stay where they are. This order says, Hey, you're free. But just just stay where you are that doesn't work and people know that that's not going forward. And so they find ways to please believe, even at the expense of themselves, end up their lives. Members of the Union Army, including U. S colored troops, are literally sort of traveling from courthouse to church, a farm, the plantation to inform formerly enslaved people. Hayes, you're free. When we think of this concept of liberation, I think it's so fascinating, incredible and powerful that formerly enslaved men who are now U. S colored troops are an active part of spreading that information and sort of enabling their brothers and sisters to know. Hey, you are free. Join me, right? You're liberated. So black people did so much to secure their freedom even after they were told they were free. But if you've been held in bondage for generations and generations, what does that actually look like? Will you even survive leaving that place. Will you be murdered on route? Will you be killed trying toe leave? Those are realities for some people. We have documentation of people literally being murdered as they're trying to leave when they have been set free. Some of the earliest Juneteenth celebration. I should say the earliest Juneteenth celebration took place June 1918 66. Sort of in a deliberate effort. Toe undercut Juneteenth. Celebration specifically is black. People are barred from gathering in certain spaces and places. They found a way in spite of these really silly rules and regulations. And so they would gather on public lands that were not subject to some of these laws and restrictions. They would gather in spaces like purchase that they built. They included public readings of the Emancipation Proclamation. They included gathering and food. They included Faried, and they evolved from there. The earliest Juneteenth celebrations really centered on life, Liberty, citizenship, liberation and celebrating all of those things on loan in 19. No, that's cold. They have to give a big 19. Well, now we didn't know. I don't hardly outside of functional free. We didn't know. They just don't You know, we'll just feed this you know, have a long table. You just had the same thing. You won't eat, you know, and drink you. You see a number of different Bud's that show up at Juneteenth celebrations. Over time, some of the popular ones are red velvet cake in red soda pop. And just in general, you're seeing a lot of red food. We think that it connects back to West African tradition. Red is a symbolic color that symbolizes so much it symbolizes spirituality, strain, resilience, protection. And so that is one reason you see these Red Foods show up at Juneteenth celebration. You know, as people moved from Texas and moved out, the country migrated about the country. They carried those Juneteenth tradition with them going into the 20th century. It starts the fizzle out as attacks on black citizenship increase and you almost see it completely fizzle out After World War two black men, and in some cases like women, have gone to serve their country, their demanding, full citizenship. They did it. The world were previously nothing panned out there, coming back, demanding full citizenship again and again. Once again, nothing pans out. And so you're seeing this sort of celebration about citizenship, life and liberty fizzle because people are not getting that, I would say increased celebration of Juneteenth kind of pop back up around the civil rights movement. 1968 specifically, the poor People's march on Washington was actually designed to coincide with Juneteenth rate. The original date was June 19th 1968. Dr. King was assassinated before it could actually hurt, and people sort of reclaim that day and this sort of firm, if you will, as an opportunity to celebrate liberation in a place base in time where black people are once again very actively trying delivery. I think in terms of today, though, young people are becoming more aware of Juneteenth in large part due to social media. Another thing that is very, very powerful about what we're seeing now is the power of black protests, right? We have seen black people literally gather, moved their bodies and call out injustice in generations and generations over time, right? We've seen it during the reconstruction era. We've seen it during the 19 teens. We've seen it during the 19 forties fifties sixties seventies. This is another resurgence again, of black people gatherings, moving, speaking and calling out injustice in order to be liberated. And, you know, when I think about people who lived in Texas than might have been liberated after Juneteenth, who led the union lines so that they could again, literally take their freedom and create new lives for themselves, I keep thinking of life masses of black people gathering and moving in order to achieve freedom. And is that not what we're seeing now? It is a through line not just a through line, but again, a cultural pretension, black people gathering and moving in order to seek freedom. Once again, it is this phenomenal that we continue to do what our ancestors did in order to get closer to liberation. I think it is absolutely vital for African Americans to have a national recognized eight that again recognizes our freedom. I think is with the organizations and companies pay more attention to this holiday and give value to this holiday. It will absolutely create more mo mentum around, making it a holiday that is recognized in states that don't recognize it and perhaps even at the federal level. I think companies could take it a step further by again, really digging, deeply understanding the principles of Juneteenth and sort of applying those principles to their own work in their own values. Are they running equitable work environment? Are they adopting inclusive hiring practices? What are they doing in their community? Are these companies putting money towards the movement for black lives to again sort of further what we're seeing? Further protests are Are these companies putting pressure on lawmakers or for general assemblies to make change? How will you be celebrating Giunti? So I will be celebrating Juneteenth by working. I'm going to be honest. However, I love the work that I do, and I think the work that I do is critical. And so for me, I'm very excited that I get to spend June team telling stories of black liberation and resilience from the state of North Carolina. And so that's what we'll be doing on Juneteenth. Best follow. My work is by following the North Carolina African American hairs. You can follow us online at a h si dot c dot gov I think of Juneteenth as our Independence Day because the original Independence Day does not take us into consideration. I am Angela Thorp. I am a public historian based in North Carolina. In my work, I worked to bring forth the rich and deep stories of African American people in a number of creative ways, including exhibit programs and other experience. The Emancipation Proclamation was signed January 1st 18 63 and it's interesting because this document is seen as a riel sort of win for the United States, specifically the union it's signed in the midst of the Civil War. But what we have to understand is that this document or this proclamation does not free all and sleep. So when we think about how is the Emancipation Proclamation? Of course we have to think about How is the Union Army specifically sort of advancing through? Inveterate Steve, The share this information Texas is ah, hot spot, if you will, for defiance of the Emancipation Proclamation. Specifically, I think that is part of what makes Juneteenth story so special. If we think of Texas geographically, it is in the furthest reaches of the Confederacy. That information is not getting to Texas like it is some other places. And if you're thinking about the Union Army physically advancing through the South, that journey is taking a long time again. There's just a defiance on the part of a number of people, right? A true refusal to let people out of bonded. You would just, I think, not a steady waiting six months earlier in Tunnel in July 19 June. That's why you know this every day we have some examples of people literally forcing the individuals the black individuals that they're holding in bondage to travel as faras Texas to escape this impending reality of freedom from slavery again, Texas eventually absorbed close to 150,000 enslaved people to avoid impending black liberations. General Ranger is one of the foremost people who is responsible for, I guess you can say, occupying Texas one. It falls to the union in enforcing new realities in Texas. In Galveston, specifically June 19th 18 65 Juneteenth sort of becomes a reality. General Order three is announced in which soldiers air literally going from place to place space to space, announcing through Galveston, Texas. Hey, enslaved accents are free. I think What's really interesting, though in the language of his order, if you read it, is that it encourages or outright instruct and slave people formerly enslaved peoples who stay where they are. This order says, Hey, you're free. But just just stay where you are that doesn't work and people know that that's not going forward. And so they find ways to please believe, even at the expense of themselves, end up their lives. Members of the Union Army, including U. S colored troops, are literally sort of traveling from courthouse to church, a farm, the plantation to inform formerly enslaved people. Hayes, you're free. When we think of this concept of liberation, I think it's so fascinating, incredible and powerful that formerly enslaved men who are now U. S colored troops are an active part of spreading that information and sort of enabling their brothers and sisters to know. Hey, you are free. Join me, right? You're liberated. So black people did so much to secure their freedom even after they were told they were free. But if you've been held in bondage for generations and generations, what does that actually look like? Will you even survive leaving that place. Will you be murdered on route? Will you be killed trying toe leave? Those are realities for some people. We have documentation of people literally being murdered as they're trying to leave when they have been set free. Some of the earliest Juneteenth celebration. I should say the earliest Juneteenth celebration took place June 1918 66. Sort of in a deliberate effort. Toe undercut Juneteenth. Celebration specifically is black. People are barred from gathering in certain spaces and places. They found a way in spite of these really silly rules and regulations. And so they would gather on public lands that were not subject to some of these laws and restrictions. They would gather in spaces like purchase that they built. They included public readings of the Emancipation Proclamation. They included gathering and food. They included Faried, and they evolved from there. The earliest Juneteenth celebrations really centered on life, Liberty, citizenship, liberation and celebrating all of those things on loan in 19. No, that's cold. They have to give a big 19. Well, now we didn't know. I don't hardly outside of functional free. We didn't know. They just don't You know, we'll just feed this you know, have a long table. You just had the same thing. You won't eat, you know, and drink you. You see a number of different Bud's that show up at Juneteenth celebrations. Over time, some of the popular ones are red velvet cake in red soda pop. And just in general, you're seeing a lot of red food. We think that it connects back to West African tradition. Red is a symbolic color that symbolizes so much it symbolizes spirituality, strain, resilience, protection. And so that is one reason you see these Red Foods show up at Juneteenth celebration. You know, as people moved from Texas and moved out, the country migrated about the country. They carried those Juneteenth tradition with them going into the 20th century. It starts the fizzle out as attacks on black citizenship increase and you almost see it completely fizzle out After World War two black men, and in some cases like women, have gone to serve their country, their demanding, full citizenship. They did it. The world were previously nothing panned out there, coming back, demanding full citizenship again and again. Once again, nothing pans out. And so you're seeing this sort of celebration about citizenship, life and liberty fizzle because people are not getting that, I would say increased celebration of Juneteenth kind of pop back up around the civil rights movement. 1968 specifically, the poor People's march on Washington was actually designed to coincide with Juneteenth rate. The original date was June 19th 1968. Dr. King was assassinated before it could actually hurt, and people sort of reclaim that day and this sort of firm, if you will, as an opportunity to celebrate liberation in a place base in time where black people are once again very actively trying delivery. I think in terms of today, though, young people are becoming more aware of Juneteenth in large part due to social media. Another thing that is very, very powerful about what we're seeing now is the power of black protests, right? We have seen black people literally gather, moved their bodies and call out injustice in generations and generations over time, right? We've seen it during the reconstruction era. We've seen it during the 19 teens. We've seen it during the 19 forties fifties sixties seventies. This is another resurgence again, of black people gatherings, moving, speaking and calling out injustice in order to be liberated. And, you know, when I think about people who lived in Texas than might have been liberated after Juneteenth, who led the union lines so that they could again, literally take their freedom and create new lives for themselves, I keep thinking of life masses of black people gathering and moving in order to achieve freedom. And is that not what we're seeing now? It is a through line not just a through line, but again, a cultural pretension, black people gathering and moving in order to seek freedom. Once again, it is this phenomenal that we continue to do what our ancestors did in order to get closer to liberation. I think it is absolutely vital for African Americans to have a national recognized eight that again recognizes our freedom. I think is with the organizations and companies pay more attention to this holiday and give value to this holiday. It will absolutely create more mo mentum around, making it a holiday that is recognized in states that don't recognize it and perhaps even at the federal level. I think companies could take it a step further by again, really digging, deeply understanding the principles of Juneteenth and sort of applying those principles to their own work in their own values. Are they running equitable work environment? Are they adopting inclusive hiring practices? What are they doing in their community? Are these companies putting money towards the movement for black lives to again sort of further what we're seeing? Further protests are Are these companies putting pressure on lawmakers or for general assemblies to make change? How will you be celebrating Giunti? So I will be celebrating Juneteenth by working. I'm going to be honest. However, I love the work that I do, and I think the work that I do is critical. And so for me, I'm very excited that I get to spend June team telling stories of black liberation and resilience from the state of North Carolina. And so that's what we'll be doing on Juneteenth. Best follow. My work is by following the North Carolina African American hairs. You can follow us online at a h si dot c dot gov