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Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. On June 19, 1865 Army General Gordon Granger rode into Galveston, Texas and found Blacks still enslaved. General Granger issued a proclamation that included the words of the Emancipation Proclamation signed by President Abraham Lincoln, two and one-half years earlier, announcing their freedom! A huge celebration ensued and the observance of June 19th as Black Independence/Emancipation Day has spread across the United States.
Utahans have celebrated Juneteenth Day for over 50 years. The celebration has included picnics at the park with entertainment and guest speakers, to the more elaborate Utah celebration which includes a week long commemoration of the rich culture and history of African Americans in Utah, the United States, the Diaspora and rest of the World! “I was first introduced to Juneteenth by Lenoris Bush, Director of Utah Opportunities Industrialization Center, UOIC. He was coordinating the celebration along with the Salt Lake Chapter NAACP”. They were having their celebration at Jordan Park on the Westside and included great food, community entertainers, softball games, and vendors. As the Director of the Governor’s Office of Black Affairs, I was approached to provide support for the celebration. I was excited to learn another vital part of my history that had eluded me. We worked with UOIC on the celebration and had a wonderful time. The following year, the planning committee ran into some snags and wanted to cancel the celebration. I made a couple of calls to a colleague at the Marshall White Center in Ogden, to see if we could have the Juneteenth Celebration there. We were able to acquire the necessary permits and for the first time the festival were held in Ogden.
Across the Nation, the National Juneteenth movement, under the director of Dr. Ronald Myers, has worked state by state to make Juneteenth a state holiday. Texas led the way over 20 years ago and since that time 19 other states, including Idaho, have marked this historic event with a Day of Observance either by Executive Order or by Statute. The Utah Juneteenth Commission introduced legislation this past session to commemorate the 3rd Saturday in June as Juneteenth Day. The bill passed the House but died in the Senate. We will be working again this Session to introduce the Juneteenth Holiday Observance Bill and feel confident that we will be successful!
When people think of Utah they don’t automatically think of slavery, however there were slaves here. Utah is listed nationally as well for having a lynching. This occurred in Price, Utah. On my recent visit to the Black Holocaust Museum in Milwaukee, I was able to read the roll identifying lynching state by state. The visit was a true eye opener and included a replica of the inside of a slave ship, artifacts from slaves and the slave industry, list of slaves owned by United States Presidents, and a visit by Mr. James Cameron (who recently died) the only known survivor of a lynching. (continued on page 2) |
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June 2007 Issue # 12 |
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