While the Black Lives Matter movement continues to cause a ripple across the world, there truly has never been a more important time to learn about black history.

But, if you’ve found yourself Googling ‘what is Juneteenth?’ today, you’re not alone.

Juneteenth – celebrated on June 19 – is one of the oldest holidays in the United States, observed to mark the end of slavery.

It dates back to 1865 in Texas, but Juneteenth undeniably has taken renewed significance, as the fight for racial equality continues, 155 years later.

On this day, all those years ago, Union soldiers were led to Galveston in Texas by Major General Gordon Granger, to deliver the news that the enslaved were free. The American Civil War was over.

According to the Texas State Library and Archives Commission, Major Granger read aloud:

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 rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired labourer.

While history books teach us that slavery was abolished in the states in 1863, under president Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, the reality is – with few Union troops on the ground to enforce the order in Texas – very little changed in the southern state in the following two years.

Juneteenth is also known as Juneteenth Independence Day, Freedom Day or Emancipation Day, and is a state holiday in 47 US states. Many have called for the holiday to be introduced as a national holiday, in light of the current Black Lives Matter movement.

The first Juneteenth celebration in Texas took place in 1866, as communities took part in parades, cookouts, prayer gatherings and musical performances. However, different communities have developed their own traditions over time.

According to the Juneteenth website, celebrations these days are likely to see activities such as ‘rodeos, fishing, barbequing and baseball.’

‘Juneteenth almost always focused on education and self-improvement. Thus, often guest speakers are brought in and the elders are called upon to recount the events of the past,’ the website explains.

While millions will celebrate the emancipation of their enslaved ancestors, the current climate serves as a reminder that there is still much to do in the battle to end the systemic racism that is still so deeply intertwined in western culture.

This is solidified by the fact that the president of the United States said he’d never even heard of Juneteenth until he was informed about it by one of his Secret Service agents, who is black.

Donald Trump had already further ignited tensions by choosing to reschedule his first public campaign rally since the pandemic outbreak for today. Despite the fact 47 states celebrate the holiday, Trump is said to have told the Wall Street Journal he and his staff had never known the meaning of the day until the backlash.

‘I did something good: I made Juneteenth very famous,’ he told the publication. ‘It’s actually an important event, an important time. But nobody had ever heard of it.’

This year, Juneteenth feels all the more pertinent, amid the protests sparked by the death of George Floyd, a black man from Minneapolis, who was killed at the hands of police during an arrest over an alleged forged cheque.

In the weeks since protests began, the officers involved in Floyd’s death have been arrested and charged, while a number of other officers involved in the deaths of black citizens have also been investigated and, in some cases, arrest and charged also.

All over the US and in other parts of the world, police officers are being fired for posting racist comments online. Many statues promoting slave traders have been pulled down, and many other authorities have committed to changing the names of streets which are named after them.

These things are all a result of affirmative action, through protests – both peaceful and non-peaceful – campaigns and education.

The very fact that Trump, his staff, and many, many more white people both in the US and in other parts of the world, are unaware of the significance of Juneteenth, is a perfect example of our privilege. We are unaware of the liberation, because the persecution never directly affected us.

It is up to us to educate ourselves on the uncomfortable truths of our ancestors, so we can truly understand the need to continue pushing for racial equality.

If you have been affected by any of the issues in this article and wish to speak to someone in confidence, contact Stop Hate UK by visiting their website www.stophateuk.org/talk