What is Juneteenth? A long time ago, some people in our country weren’t treated fairly because of the color of their skin. Black people weren’t allowed to be free. Some white people made them work without getting paid. At the same time black and white people fought to end this unfairness in America. They won! The US president then said: Now everyone must be free! People in Texas finally learned that freedom had arrived two years later. Everyone was so happy to hear this good news on that day in June. That’s why we call it Juneteenth: June 19th!
Long Ago – 1865
🎊 Happy Freedom Day!
People in Texas learned they were free! Everyone was so happy! This day became Juneteenth.
1926
👶🏾 Baby Opal is Born
A special baby named Opal Lee was born in Texas. She would grow up to be very brave and kind!
When Opal Grew Up
👩🏾🏫 Teacher Opal
Opal became a teacher! She loved helping children learn and be happy at school.
2021
🎉 Opal’s Dream Comes True!
The President said Juneteenth is now a special holiday for everyone! Opal was so happy – her dream came true!
What is Juneteenth? Juneteenth celebrates the day enslaved people in Texas learned they were free. It took 2.5 years for this important news to travel from Washington D.C. to Texas! To understand why this happened, we need to learn about the Civil War and how it changed America. A determined woman named Opal Lee worked for many years to make Juneteenth a national holiday.
April 12, 1861
⚔️ Civil War Begins
The Civil War started when Southern states wanted to keep slavery, but Northern states wanted to end it. The country was divided and fighting began.
January 1, 1863
📜 Emancipation Proclamation
President Lincoln announced that enslaved people in rebellious states were free! But many areas, especially Texas, didn’t get this news right away.
June 19, 1865
🎊 Freedom News Arrives in Texas
Union soldiers arrived in Texas with news that slavery had ended. This was 2.5 years after the Emancipation Proclamation! The celebration began on June 19th.
October 7, 1926
🌟 Opal Lee is Born
Opal Lee was born in Marshall, Texas. From a young age, she believed in fairness and helping others.
1990s-2010s
🎯 Fighting for Recognition
Opal organized events and taught people about Juneteenth. She wanted everyone in America to know about this important day in history.
2016-2017
🚶🏾♀️ The Great Walk
At age 89, Opal walked from Texas to Washington D.C.! She walked to show how important Juneteenth was to the whole country.
June 17, 2021
🏛️ Victory at Last!
President Biden signed a law making Juneteenth a federal holiday! Opal was invited to the White House to watch this historic moment.
Understanding Juneteenth: Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, to announce that enslaved people were free. To understand this momentous day, we must examine the Civil War’s origins, progression, and aftermath. The journey from slavery to freedom was complex, involving economic, political, and moral conflicts that divided the nation. Opal Lee, an educator and civil rights activist, dedicated decades to securing federal recognition for this pivotal moment in American history.
1619-1860
⛓️ Slavery in America
For over 240 years, millions of Africans and their descendants were enslaved in America. The economy of Southern states depended heavily on enslaved labor for cotton, tobacco, and other crops, creating deep divisions between North and South.
November 1860
🗳️ Lincoln Elected President
Abraham Lincoln’s election on an anti-slavery platform prompted Southern states to consider secession. Many feared Lincoln would end slavery, threatening their economic system and way of life.
December 1860 – February 1861
💔 Union Breaks Apart
Eleven Southern states seceded from the Union, forming the Confederate States of America. They declared independence to preserve slavery and states’ rights, setting the stage for war.
April 12, 1861
⚔️ Civil War Begins
Confederate forces attacked Fort Sumter in South Carolina, marking the start of the Civil War. What began as a conflict to preserve the Union evolved into a war to end slavery.
September 1862
📰 Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation
After the Battle of Antietam, Lincoln announced his intention to free enslaved people in rebellious states. This transformed the war’s purpose from preserving the Union to also ending slavery.
January 1, 1863
📜 Emancipation Proclamation
President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, declaring enslaved people in rebellious states “forever free.” However, enforcement required Union military presence, which hadn’t reached remote areas like Texas.
April 9, 1865
🏳️ Civil War Ends
General Robert E. Lee surrendered to Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House, effectively ending the Civil War. The Union victory ensured slavery’s abolition throughout the former Confederacy.
June 19, 1865
🎊 Juneteenth – Freedom Day
Major General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston with federal troops to enforce emancipation. He read General Order No. 3, officially freeing the last enslaved people in Texas.
October 7, 1926
🌟 Opal Lee’s Birth
Born in Marshall, Texas, Opal Lee would grow up during the Jim Crow era, experiencing firsthand the ongoing struggle for civil rights and equality.
1940s-1980s
📚 Educator and Advocate
Opal served as a teacher and counselor for decades, earning her degree from the University of North Texas and dedicating her career to education and community service.
1979
🏛️ Texas State Holiday
State Representative Albert Ely Edwards authored and sponsored House Bill 1016, making Juneteenth an official state-paid holiday in Texas. This was the first state-level recognition of Juneteenth, paving the way for national recognition decades later.
1990s-2015
🎯 Grassroots Activism
Opal began organizing annual Juneteenth celebrations and lobbying efforts. She started walking 2.5 miles annually to symbolize the 2.5 years between emancipation and its enforcement in Texas.
September 2016 – January 2017
🚶🏾♀️ Historic March to Washington
At 89 years old, Opal embarked on a symbolic walk from Fort Worth to Washington D.C., covering over 1,400 miles to raise awareness and pressure Congress to recognize Juneteenth.
June 17, 2021
🏛️ Federal Recognition Achieved
President Joe Biden signed Senate Bill S.475, officially establishing Juneteenth as the 11th federal holiday. Opal Lee was present at the White House signing ceremony, witnessing the culmination of her lifelong advocacy.
Katherine Schlatter
