Date: 2010-06-22
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 546 which recognizes the historical significance of Juneteenth Independence Day. and expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that history should be regarded as a means for understanding the past and more effectively facing the challenges of the future. On June 19. 1865. the day Union soldiers arrived in Galveston. Texas. with news that the Civil War had ended and that the enslaved AfricanAmericans were free. "Juneteenth Independence Day" was born. On this historic day. legend has it. while standing on the balcony of Galvestons Ashton Villa. Granger read the contents of "General Order No. 3": 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. In that moment. Galveston streets were filled with jubilant celebrations and the following year. the commemoration of June 19th or Juneteenth celebrations began in Texas. The newly freed AfricanAmericans pulled what few resources they had to purchase land in their communities to have these gatherings. Houstons Emancipation Park. Mexias Booker T. Washington Park. and Emancipation Park in Austin are the present day result of these efforts. Mr. Speaker. I can image how the words of President Lincoln resonated in their hearts and souls. life. liberty and the pursuit of happiness for all equal citizens was no longer a dream. they were a reality. Hundreds of thousands of American citizens were released from the grips of bondage. we are freed men and women. However. while it is a celebration of our emancipation. it is also a reminder of the progress we have yet to make. The Emancipation Proclamation Abraham Lincoln issued on September 22. 1862. with an effective date of January 1. 1863. had minimal initial effect in some States. Let this be a reminder. that words are meaningless without action. We must be steadfast and willing to do our parts as citizens to uphold and carry out the will of the people and the laws of our great Nation. The United States has made great strides of improvement and we continue to press forward to obtain those values in which we hold dear. Juneteenth became an official State holiday through the efforts of Al Edwards. an AfricanAmerican State legislator from Texas in 1980. The successful passage of this bill marked Juneteenth as the first emancipation celebration granted official State recognition. As of March 2010. 36 States have followed suit in the celebrations and the adoption of this historic day. In my district. we actively celebrate this holiday through. reenactments. of the reading of the Emancipation Proclamation at Ashton Villa and various parades and musical events all across Houston. Juneteenth is a day to reflect upon the AfricanAmerican experience and it includes all races. ethnicities and nationalities. It is a symbolical reference point of our progress and the contributions we have made to make this country what it is today. Juneteenth is a time to reconnect with loved ones and have a renewed sense of community. In conclusion. I am reminded of what President Obama stated 2 years ago pertaining to Juneteenth and the continued pursuit of the values embedded in this day: We pause to remember that our nation has made tremendous progress. but has many miles to go on the long march toward finally fulfilling the ideals of this country. When too many Americans go without affordable healthcare or a quality education. when neighborhoods unravel due to a housing market in crisis. when special interests hold their thumbs on the scale of opportunity. we have more work to do. Juneteenth is a day for celebration of freedom and family. but also a day that calls us all to rededicate ourselves to the convictions at the heart of our American experiment. It reminds us that with the work of each successive generation. we come closer to the realization of that more perfect union.