Wednesday, June 19, 2024

Juneteenth (an annual post)

Texas being Texas:
Four enduring myths about Juneteenth are not based on facts.

Specifically:
Myth #4: The Juneteenth Order was basically a Texas version of the Emancipation Proclamation.

Fact: General Orders No. 3 stated unequivocally "all slaves are free," but it also contained patronizing language intended to appease planters who didn't want to lose their workforce. Forty-one words of the brief 93-word order urged enslaved people to stay put and keep working.

"The freed are advised to remain 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."

Incredible, really. 

This is a wonderful website to learn more about Juneteenth: Senses of Freedom: Exploring the Tastes, Sounds and Experiences of an African American Celebration.

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