SAN ANGELO, TX — Monday, June 19, marks Juneteenth. A portmanteau of "June" and "nineteenth," Juneteenth represents the day when news of emancipation reached enslaved African Americans in Texas in 1865. Signed on January 1, 1863, the Emancipation Proclamation took two and a half years to reach enslaved African Americans in Galveston. It is celebrated on the anniversary of the order, issued by Major General Gordon Granger on June 19, 1865, proclaiming freedom for slaves in Texas.
It is considered the longest-running holiday in African American and Black communities and was often observed with community celebrations on the third Saturday in June. In light of the growing recognition and significance of Juneteenth, it became a federal holiday in 2021 after the U.S. Congress passed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act.
San Angelo held festivities to celebrate the holiday over the weekend. One such event was a Parade on Saturday held on MLK Boulevard. Crowds gathered on the streets to watch floats from area church congregations and participants from the San Angelo Fire Department, Police Department, and other City Representatives. Watch a video of the parade here.
Juneteenth 2023 Pastors Reed & Gosha (LIVE! Photo/Yantis Green)
Juneteenth has several symbols that represent the festivities every year. One such symbol is a flag that is flown on the holiday. According to PBS’s website (Public Broadcasting Service), the flag we see today is the work of artist Lisa Jeanne Graf, who modified the original Juneteenth flag created in 1997 by Ben Haith, the founder of the National Juneteenth Observance Foundation (NJOF).
Juneteenth Flag
(Credit: pbs.org)
“The Juneteenth flag is red, white, and blue. We see the same colors as the USA flag to acknowledge that formerly enslaved people and their descendants are Americans. There is an arc across the flag, symbolizing a new horizon and hope for the future. The star at the flag’s center is a nod to Texas, the Lone Star State, where Juneteenth was first celebrated. The burst outlining the star suggests a new star, a new beginning. The date of the first Juneteenth (June 19, 1865) is often added to the flag, as well.”
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