Recognizing Juneteenth

Juneteenth (short for June Nineteenth) is important to recognize and honor as U.S. history. U.S. President Abraham Lincoln issued and signed the Emancipation Proclamation that declared on Jan. 1, 1863, that the enslaved were now free. This had little to no impact due to the small number of Union troops to enforce the new Executive Order. In other words, it was ignored and the enslaved never received the message nor did the Troop acknowledge the signed proclamation. On June 19, 1865, two and a half years later, Major General Gordon Granger and Federal soldiers of the 13th Army Corp troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, to publicly issue General Order No. 3 that officially announced the liberation of all enslaved people. The following year in 1866, the people of Texas organized the first of what became the annual celebration of African American liberation on June 19. The 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution which formally abolished slavery in the United States was passed in the U.S. Senate on April 8, 1864, passed in the U.S. House of Representatives on Jan. 31, 1865, and later ratified on Dec. 6, 1865.

On Jan. 1, 1980, Juneteenth became an official state holiday in Texas and has since been adopted by 45 states and the District of Columbia. Did you know? Hawaiʻi is one of four states yet to officially recognize Juneteenth! Last summer 2020, the Honolulu City Council and then-Mayor Kirk Caldwell passed a resolution recognizing Juneteenth as an important national day of commemoration and celebration. Currently, SB 939 which establishes June 19th of each year as a day of observance passed by both the House of Representatives and Senate is now presented to Hawaiʻi Governor David Ige for signing. Colleges and Universities across the U.S. are engaging college students, faculty and staff about the significance and purpose of Juneteenth. The history and contributions of African Americans in Hawaiʻi is significant. Black History in Hawai’i extends back to Black Jack, who was also known as Keakaeleele. He was already living on O‘ahu when King Kamehameha conquered it in 1795.

There will be educational opportunities in the coming year to engage UH West Oʻahu students, faculty, and staff.

Watch this video to learn more.

Resources to learn more:

Juneteenth

Juneteenth Website

History: What is Juneteenth

Emancipation Proclamation

National Archives Website

Library of Congress Website

History Website

13th Amendment

National Constitution Center Website