Every Fourth of July, we commemorate American independence and freedom from Great Britain.
But, this freedom did not apply to everyone. Our great nation, “conceived in liberty,” was born in chains and raised on plantations. Slavery persisted as an institution in America for nearly 250 years. In comparison, it’s been 161 years since the Emancipation Proclamation was signed.
Even after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed, there were many Black people who remained enslaved. The eventual liberation of one such community on June 19, 1865 in Galveston, Texas, spawned Juneteenth — the oldest celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. And starting in 2021, Juneteenth became the country’s most recent federally recognized holiday.
Before it became a federal holiday, many communities around the Bay Area took steps to officially recognize Juneteenth.
In Santa Clara County, supervisors voted unanimously to declare Juneteenth an official county holiday — a first among California counties — funded by a $2.3 million reserve that the board approved in 2020. Here in Marin County, the board of supervisors adopted a resolution recognizing Juneteenth in honor of the memories of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and the many other African Americans murdered by police officers.
As the country continues to confront the deep roots of racism in the United States, it is important to understand its troubling past, and learning about and celebrating Juneteenth is one way to start.
Click here to see our list of Marin’s Juneteenth events in 2024.
Origins of Juneteenth
Juneteenth is a 159-year old holiday celebrating the emancipation of African Americans from slavery in the United States.
It does not honor the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation, or the end of the Civil War, as many would think. The Emancipation Proclamation came into effect on January 1, 1863, declaring all enslaved peoples in the Confederacy free — on the condition that the Union won the war. With this single document, barely 700 words in length, the legal status of four million slaves in the Confederacy was changed.
But, conditions in the South did not change and many slave owners, obviously, withheld this information.
The last battle of the Civil War was fought in 1865, two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed. Texas remained a stronghold in the South even after the final battle of the war, and some 250,000 enslaved African Americans were not made aware of their freedom. They only learned of it when Union general Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, on June 19, 1865 and announced that President Abraham Lincoln had issued a proclamation freeing them.
Today, there remain varying accounts of why the news of freedom did not reach Texas sooner. It is also important to note that Texas remained a Confederate state until 1865, when Robert E. Lee finally surrendered to the Union Army, so they would not have enforced Lincoln’s proclamation.
On that day, June 19, Granger relayed General Order, N0. 3: “The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired labor.”
Granger’s announcement was met with equal parts terror, confusion and excitement. But, newly freed slaves finally had a day to rally around. They transformed this day into their Independence Day.
Most Black folks knew that it was not a celebration of victory or triumph — but rather an acknowledgment that change was possible. There was still work to be done. In its 1866 state constitution, Texas refused to ratify the Thirteenth Amendment*, which abolished slavery and involuntary servitude. But, because a two-thirds majority of states ratified it, the amendment was added to the United States Constitution. Texas eventually ratified it in 1870.
* (A loophole in the Thirteenth Amendment, allowing incarcerated persons to be subjected to slavery, would later cause problems for Black Americans. Mass incarceration in the United States exploded in the 20th century, essentially once again enslaving millions of people. More about this here. Or, you can watch the documentary, 13th, by filmmaker Ava DuVernay on Netflix.)
As newly freed Texans moved to neighboring states, June 19 — Juneteenth, as it came to be known — celebrations spread across the United States. The celebrations became a space for reassurance, prayer and the gathering of lost family members. They reread the Emancipation Proclamation, gathered around the barbecue pit, played games and held the occasional rodeo. African American historian Henry Louis Gates Jr. notes that it was an occasion “measuring progress against freedom and inculcating rising generations with the values of self-improvement and racial uplift.”
Juneteenth Endures
Early Juneteenth celebrations were a continued reminder of the long road to freedom African Americans would still need to endure. In some instances, white Southerners forbade Black people from using public spaces for their Juneteenth celebrations. So, some raised enough money to buy their own celebration sites.
In 1872, the Rev. Jack Yates and a group of fellow formerly enslaved people raised $800 to buy the land to make a yearly space to celebrate Juneteenth, according to the Houston Chronicle. The park was fittingly named Emancipation Park, and it became an official city park in 1918. It is not only Houston’s oldest park but Texas’s oldest park, and it continues to hold annual Juneteenth celebrations.
The holiday’s survival was dependent on its move across state lines, brought upon by the Great Migration. In her book The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America’s Great Migration, Isabel Wilkerson writes, “The people from Texas took Juneteenth Day to Los Angeles, Oakland, Seattle, and other places they went.”
But, the Smithsonian Magazine writes that:
“In the bitterness of the Reconstruction and Jim Crow eras, few states of the former Confederacy had any interest in celebrating emancipation. And as many African Americans migrated north, especially in the Depression era, Juneteenth became a largely forgotten vestige of the Civil War era.”
It was the tumultuous events of the ’60s that brought Juneteenth back into focus. After Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated on April 4, 1968, Rev. Ralph Abernathy promised to fulfill his Poor People’s March, a campaign meant to address the employment and housing problems of the poor throughout the United States. The march fell short of its goals, and organizers decided to cut it short, opting instead to hold a Juneteenth celebration.
William Wiggins Jr., a professor emeritus of folklore at Indiana University, explained in an interview with Smithsonian Magazine that his theory is that delegates from the march took the idea of celebrating Juneteenth back to their respective communities. After that summer, instances of Juneteenth started popping up in newspapers around the country. But, until recently, Juneteenth was still not widely recognized outside the Black community and is even still largely ignored in school curricula.
Juneteenth Today
In 1980, Texas became the first state to recognize June 19 as a state holiday. As of June 2021, the federal government recognizes Juneteenth, and all 50 states have passed their own legislation to recognize it as a holiday or observance. Companies like Twitter, Square, Vox Media, Nike and the N.F.L. recognize Juneteenth as a company holiday, designating it a paid day off.
On June 18, 2021, President Biden signed Juneteenth into law as a legal public holiday. In his speech, he remarked, “the story of Juneteenth reveals that freedom, justice, and equality will always prevail.”
Now, Juneteenth celebrations take place across the country. Organizations such as the Smithsonian Institution and the Henry Ford Museum have begun sponsoring Juneteenth-centered activities, with the mission to promote and cultivate knowledge and appreciation for African American history and culture.
Today, celebrations are still centered around the same traditions: religious services, storytelling, music, food (barbecue!) and honoring Black culture. The New York Times also published an article about Juneteenth food traditions, pointing to the inclusion of red foods as “symbol[s] of ingenuity and resilience in bondage.” Some celebrations are more spiritual and intimate, used as a day of meditation and multicultural prayer.
It is also used as a reminder of the work that still needs to be done to achieve racial equality in America and of the life-threatening issues, such as police brutality and mass incarceration, that continue to plague Black communities.
In 2020, Juneteenth fell amidst a reignited civil rights movement and protests around police brutality in the wake of the brutal murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade and countless others. Fast forward to today, and this movement continues to grow; the killings of unarmed African Americans by police has not stopped. In a national reckoning around systemic oppression in the United States, it is crucial to understand the 400 years that have led to it.
How to Celebrate
For non-Black folks wanting to support the Black community this Juneteenth, the most impactful actions you can take are to educate yourself, grapple with the ways white privilege has functioned in your own life and commit to lifelong anti-racist practices. It is also important to do research into local organizations that may be receiving less funding or national recognition. It is also incredibly important for non-Black folks to be respectful of organizers and participants, and not to center themselves in the celebrations.
This year, Bay Area residents will celebrate Juneteenth with parades, performances, inspirational speakers, food and music. Visit the official Juneteenth website for ideas about how to celebrate, or check with your local chamber of commerce to learn about any events planned in your community. Here are a few events to check out:
Marin:
June 15 Tiburon Annual Juneteenth Celebration
Hosted on Main Street from 3:30–6:30 p.m., the city of Tiburon’s annual Juneteenth celebration will include live music, poetry readings, guest speakers and the Buffalo Soldiers motorcycle club (and their horses!). Acclaimed drummer and Marin County resident Harold Jones will perform with his 18-piece band.
June 15 Mill Valley Juneteenth Freedom Festival
In an effort to promote a more diverse, equitable and inclusive Mill Valley, the City and Mill Valley Recreation are hosting a Freedom Festival: a celebration of African American Independence Day with live music, food, activities for all ages and more at Mill Valley’s Downtown Plaza.
June 15 San Rafael’s Juneteenth Family Festival
The first Juneteenth celebration in San Rafael, this festival celebrates a number of trailblazing African American community leaders. Honored guests include William Calhoun, San Rafael’s first Black librarian; Rev. Dr. Laurie Garrett-Cobbina, dean of San Francisco Theological Seminary; Brian Colbert, former mayor of San Anselmo, and more. Join the festivities, which also include live music and delicious food, at Christ Presbyterian Church in Terra Linda.
June 22 8th Marin City Juneteenth Festival
Say hello to the Good News Bear, the mascot of Marin City’s annual Juneteenth community festival. Marin City’s Juneteenth celebration has been running strong for eight years and counting, and it stands on the shoulders of a tradition of community festivals, like the Marin City Community Festival which ran during the ‘70s and ‘80s.
Now, this Juneteenth festival hosts one of Northern California’s largest markets of African goods, and the organizers aim to support artists and entrepreneurs while keeping the tradition free from commercialization. Get ready for food trucks, poetry and a full schedule of music — all while maintaining the spirit of the holiday and honoring history and ancestors.
This year’s theme is “Umoja,” the Swahili word for “unity” and the first principle of Kwanzaa. Just so, everybody is invited to attend this multicultural festival, and the celebration is partnered with San Rafael’s Juneteenth. Catch this event (sponsored by Marin City Arts and Culture) at Rocky Graham Park starting at 10:30 a.m.
Bay Area:
All month Juneteenth at the Bayview Opera House
Over the whole month of June, San Francisco’s Ruth Williams Opera House in the Bayview neighborhood hosts a number of shows. Film screenings, play readings, community dinners and more. These events embrace San Francisco’s Black community and history. Learn about the 1966 uprisings in the Hunters Point neighborhood in the play 3rd and Palou. Or, listen to the music of composer Florence Price as performed by a piano quintet. These shows are just a taste of the art and music coming out of the Opera House.
June 8 San Francisco’s Museum of the African Diaspora
Every second Sunday of the month, the Museum of the African Diaspora collaborates with Kaiser Permanente’s Thrive City to offer free admission. June’s free community day features special programming for Juneteenth. Enjoy family-friendly fun, including art activities, a drag story hour and a family-oriented tour of the museum. The day will also include a screening of the documentary City of a Million Dreams: Parading for the Dead in New Orleans, along with a discussion with the film’s protagonist Dr. Michael White.
June 14–15 Juneteenth SF Freedom Celebration
Thousands of attendees and hundreds of vendors turn out for this free, eight-block festival in the historic Fillmore District. A carnival will spring up, complete with a Kids Zone, games and rides, along with plenty of activities for adults. Did I mention that there will be pony rides?
June 15 Santa Rosa’s 54th Annual MLK Community Festival
54 years ago, the Martin Luther King Community Festival Celebration of Diversity and Inclusion was born out of a protest to save a community park from being destroyed by the development of a new street. Since that day, the third Sunday in June has served as a day of community gathering to celebrate diversity, equity and Juneteenth. Have fun with music such as gospel, jazz, rap and R&B, along with children’s games, a basketball tournament, arts & crafts, speakers and a whole lot of food.
June 16 Juneteenth Concert at the Golden Gate Park Bandshell
In the Golden Gate Park Music Concourse, enjoy a free concert from an orchestra in the bandshell. The day’s program will consist of music by modern and classic Black composers, like Katahj Copley, William Grant Still, Duke Ellington and more. The concert runs from 1–2:30 p.m.
June 16 Berkeley Juneteenth Festival
Berkeley’s festival, now in its 37th year, will cover the five-block Alcatraz–Adeline corridor and include two musical stages for performances of drumming, jazz, R&B, reggae and many more styles. Family-friendly activities abound, with science-themed activities, arts programs, face-painting and more all happening at the KID/STEM zone.
June 22 Richmond Juneteenth Parade and Festival
The Richmond Juneteenth parade starts at the Booker T. Anderson Community Center; expect live music, food, and more. The event is hosted by The Neighborhood Block Association (NBA), an organization created to save Richmond’s Juneteenth celebrations after city officials canceled all festivals due to financial hardships in 2004.
