Juneteenth is a little known holiday to many Americans. But it actually has a long history and has been celebrated for generations.

In 1865 at the end of the Civil War, the Emancipation Proclamation freed enslaved Africans in the South. A year later, on June 19th, 1866, the order to free the slaves reached Texas, the last state. That day became a celebration of Juneteenth (combining June and 19th). For the next several decades “Emancipation Day” celebrations were held across the U.S. But Jim Crow eventually ended those celebrations.

The holiday of Juneteenth National Independence Day was returned to the American society when it was established as a Federal Holiday in 2021. But being a new holiday in our generation, some may question why it is important to celebrate this day. Many black Americans understand the importance of this day. But for many white Americans, those who have been historically insulated from the legacy and memory of slavery, it may seem less important.

For several years, I have been researching using the testimonies of enslaved Black Americans in the 1930s Slave Narratives oral history documentation project. Reading the experiences of these precious human beings has given me a deep appreciation for the significance of Juneteenth. You cannot read the horrific stories of slavery without appreciating the significance of Juneteenth. (read these testimonies here)

Here are three reasons that Juneteenth is important.

1. Juneteenth, not July 4th, is truly the day of America’s freedom for all Americans. While 4th of July (Independence Day) is a celebration of freedom from Britain, for black Americans, it would be 75 years before they were free. In total, slavery in the U.S. held an estimated 10 million Africans in slavery, nearly 4 million which were freed in 1865. If 1/6th of the U.S. population was being sold into slavery and treated as livestock today, and that policy was reversed, it would absolutely be a cause for celebration. Juneteenth is a celebration of the day when freedom became a reality for all Americans. (although there is more to that story, admittedly)
2. Juneteenth was the end of the horrific treatment of enslaved Africans in America. Human beings were bought and sold by other human beings. Most slaves were whipped as soon as they were bought to set the tone for what would be a daily way of life. Runaway slaves were hunted down and returned to vicious beatings. Children were stolen from their mothers to be sold as slaves to other slave owners. Women were sex slaves to their slave owners. Here is one account of the horrors of sexual exploitation by slave owners. “From fifty to sixty head of women were kept constantly for breeding. No man was allowed to go there, save white men. From twenty to twenty-five children a year were bred on that plantation. As soon as they are ready for market, they are taken away and sold, as mules or other cattle.”(1) Juneteenth was a celebration of freedom from that demonic and dehumanizing treatment of human beings through American slavery.
3. Juneteenth reclaimed Christianity from slave holders. It is absolutely true that slave owners used Christianity to justify slavery. For those who were enslaved, if they were allowed to go to church, the minister would not preach the gospel or care for their souls. They would preach every Sunday on “Slaves obey your masters.” They spiritually abused and manipulated enslaved Africans who were Christians by using the Bible and Jesus to justify the sin of slavery. On the other hand, some slave owners feared that those who were “getting religion” would realize that slavery was wrong and they forbid slaves from going to slave churches. And many hundreds of thousands of Africans were already Christians or became Christians in forbidden slave churches. Here is one account of those who became christians: “These Negro converts were cruelly told to hush up because they ‘were getting above themselves,’ and if they refused to obey, many of them were whipped until they stood in puddles of blood drawn by the lashes inflicted upon their bodies, while others, stricken down with heavy blows or subjected to mortal torture, went to their death rather than cease to bear witness for Jesus.” (2) When Juneteenth came, it began a path of restoring true Christianity in American.

Juneteenth is not “Black history,” it is American History. Juneteenth is not a Black holiday, it is an American holiday that all Americans should appreciate. It is the holiday that truly brought freedom to all Americans. It is worthy of a day on America’s calendar and worthy of remembrance. “Free at Last, Free at Last, thank God Almighty, we are Free at Last.”