Celebrate Juneteenth in Pasco County

One common misconception among Americans is that president Abraham Lincoln’s 1862 Emancipation Proclamation freed the slaves.

While the proclamation laid the groundwork for the abolishment of slavery, it had little to no effect on the immediate freedom of most slaves.

Instead, the date of June 19, 1865, is celebrated as the formal end to slavery.

Why?

The scene was Galveston, Texas, where most were resistant to emancipation. The Civil War had finally ended after four bloody years of battle between the North and South.

Two-thousand Union soldiers, lead by Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger, had marched into town with the announcement that the war was finally over. Granger also carried with him General Order No. 3, which he was instructed to read allowed among the people of Galveston.

Legend says that on June 19, 1865, while standing on the balcony at Ashton Villa, Granger opened and read aloud the contents of General Order No. 3 as crowds gathered on the street below. As his voice echoed down, the people heard the following statement:

“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. The freedmen are advised to remain quietly at their present homes and work for wages. They are informed that they will not be allowed to collect at military posts and that they will not be supported in idleness either there or elsewhere.”

Following Granger’s public reading of the general order, the newly freed slaves gathered in streets and rejoiced, forever marking the date that they gained their true freedom-- two years after President Lincoln’s signing of the Emancipation Proclamation.

To make it official, six months later on December 6, 1865, the federal Constitution was ratified with the addition of the thirteenth amendment, which reads:

 Section 1. Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.
Section 2. Congress shall have the power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

Today, 146 years after the first Juneteenth festivities, this important date in history is still celebrated throughout our nation. As of June 2011, 39 states, including Florida, recognize June 19th as a state holiday or state observance holiday.

Also known as Emancipation Day, Emancipation Celebration, Freedom Day, Jun-Jun, and Juneteenth Independence Day, the formal name of Juneteenth was created from the union of the words June and nineteenth to create a new word.

While typical celebrations include a wide-range of festivities, most include a public reading of the Emancipation Proclamation as a reminder that all slaves have been proclaimed free. Other traditions include the singing of heritage songs and the reading of poetry from black authors.

Many African-American families use this holiday to trace their ancestry and lineal heritage to the times of bondage in Africa. Others learn about African-American history and heritage of their own community.

Here in Pasco County, Juneteenth is no different. On June 7, the Pasco County Commissioners adopted a resolution supporting the Washington, D.C. Juneteenth National Holiday Observances and recognizing the events that unfolded on June 19, 1865.

The following local Juneteenth-related events have been planned:

June 16, 2011,  6- 8 p.m.
Juneteenth Community Forum
Saint Paul Missionary Baptist Church Fellowship Hall
14518 7th Street
Dade City, Florida
For additional information please contact Imani Asukile at 352-567-0441 or Idasukile@yahoo.com

According to coordinator Imani Asukile, “the purpose of the Juneteenth Community Forum is to help spread awareness about this historical event in American history and to examine the strengths and weaknesses of our present existence and create an agenda or corrective action plan to guide our efforts through the second decade of the twenty-first century. Anyone who is interested in making a difference in their community is welcome to attend.”

June 18, 2011,  8 a.m.- 2 p.m.
Historic Mt. Carmel Cemetery Clean-up
Off Ehren Cut Off Road in Land O’ Lakes
For additional information please contact Blanch Benford, Black Caucus of Pasco County at 813-783-6862 and/ or 813-312-6345 or Jeff Cannon, Pasco County Historical Preservation Society Inc. at info@pascocemeteries.org

The historic Mt. Carmel Cemetery is one of only four historic African-American cemeteries remaining in Pasco County. This annual event is coordinated by the Black Caucus of Pasco County with participation from other local organizations and residents.

Participants of the cemetery clean-up should bring rakes, gloves, garbage bags, pruning tools and a will to help beautify the cemetery. This will be a memorable event for all who attend.

Directions: From the intersection of U.S. 41 (Land O’Lakes Boulevard) and Erhen Cut-off Road, head north east approximately 2 miles on Ehren Cut-off Road. The cemetery is located is on north side of Ehren Cut-off Road (left side of road). Please be cautious parking along Ehren Cut-off. There should be ample parking, but the road can be busy.

June 18, 2011,  11:00 a.m.- 3:00 p.m.
Juneteenth Celebration
Booker T. Washington Schoolhouse
6105 Pinehill Road
Port Richey, Florida
For additional information please call 770-265-8834

This Juneteenth celebration will be held at the historic Booker T. Washington Schoolhouse

Booker T. Washington School is the last remaining black school in west Pasco County from segregated times. According to event flyers this celebration will include live music, poetry from local authors, food, face painting, inflatable playground for the kids, health screenings, car wash, and silent auction. This Juneteenth celebration is sponsored by the African-American Club of West Pasco.