The city of San Marcos recently proclaimed that June is a month-long celebration of Juneteenth.
“The institution of slavery for African people in America began in 1619 with the landing of the first slaves on our shores and continued for some 246 years until President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, to be effective January 1, 1865,” the proclamation stated. “The proclamation declared all enslaved people in the Confederate states in rebellion against the Union ‘shall be then, henceforward, and forever free.’” The Civil War did not officially end until April 9, 1865, when General Robert E. Lee surrendered to General Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox. Official notice to Texas came on June 19, 1865 ”The 19th Day of June — or Juneteenth — became a day of jubilation and liberation for Texas slaves, and today is the oldest known celebration of the ending of slavery in our nation. Juneteenth commemorates African American freedom and emphasizes education and achievement. It is a day, a week and a month marked with celebrations, presentations, cookoffs, community discussions and family gatherings,” the proclamation stated.”The city of San Marcos supports and recognizes the importance of honoring and celebrating the rich heritage, resilience and contributions of African Americans in our country and in our county; we also seek to foster … understanding, respect and celebrate our diverse cultural backgrounds.”
The Honorable Al Edwards, a member of the Texas House of Representatives (Houston), authored and introduced H.B. 1016 in 1978, and on June 13th, 1979, Governor William P. Clements signed a bill into law that made Juneteenth Emancipation Day an official state holiday in Texas.
