Litchfield Cavo LLP Commemorates Juneteenth, Freedom Day

Juneteenth celebrates ending centuries of slavery in the United States on June 19, 1865. Juneteenth is rooted in the Emancipation Proclamation, which was issued on January 1, 1863. Although President Lincoln declared slaves in Confederate states not under Union control to be free, the Emancipation Proclamation was not enforced in Texas until more than two years after its issuance.

June 19th marks the date in 1865 that Union General Gordon Granger and 2,000 troops arrived in Galveston Bay, Texas. Upon his arrival, General Gordon posted General Order 3. General Order 3 proclaimed that the Civil War had ended and that all men were granted “absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property”. The Order freed more than 250,000 slaves in the Union’s western most state and officially ended slavery.

The first Juneteenth celebration was in Galveston Bay, Texas on June 19, 1866. The word “Juneteenth” is a combination of June and nineteenth.  Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States. The day is often celebrated with opportunities for education, reflection and supporting Black-owned businesses or organizations. We at Litchfield Cavo recognize this important day in the history of our country.