June 19, 1865, is a date etched into American history. On that day, Union soldiers led by Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, carrying word that the Civil War had ended, that slavery in Texas was abolished and that enslaved African Americans throughout the Confederate South were free.
The news came two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation and more than two months after Gen. Robert E. Lee’s surrender at Appomattox Courthouse in Virginia. The 13th Amendment, which formally made slavery illegal throughout the United States, would not be ratified until December of that year.
From that moment, June 19 — Juneteenth — became a day of remembrance and celebration in the African American community, observed as the country’s second Independence Day. Also known as Freedom Day, Liberation Day and Emancipation Day, it stands as the oldest nationally recognized commemoration of the end of slavery in the United States. In 2021, Congress designated Juneteenth a federal holiday.
This year, Dreamers and Doers of Bradford County Inc. will host a pair of Juneteenth celebrations this month, beginning with a community gathering on Friday, June 19, from 2-5 p.m. at Danielle’s Auto Salon, 106 W. Brownlee St. in Starke. The event will feature soul food by Delicious Country Cooking, prize drawings, voter registration and more.
The organization will follow that with a Juneteenth Celebration and Gala on Saturday, June 27, at the Bradford County Fairgrounds. Doors open at 6 p.m. Tickets are $30 for adults, $10 for youth ages 7-18 and free for children 6 and under. Seating is limited. To reserve seats or for more information, call 904-612-3942 or email [email protected].
United Embody, founded by Cynthia Cantrell, is inviting the community to a free Juneteenth celebration Friday, June 19, at the Worthington Springs Community Center. The event runs from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Themed “1865: Break Every Chain,” the gathering commemorates the day of freedom for African Americans and will feature a guest speaker, food and drinks, games and prizes.
Admission is free. Raffle tickets are available for $5 each or five for $20. One free meal per person will be provided; attendees must be present to receive it. Children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
