Juneteenth : Documenting Emancipation

A remembrance from the Texas State Library and Archives Commission.

Find items related to Juneteenth from The Portal to Texas History, "a gateway to rare, historical, and primary source materials from or about Texas. Created and maintained by the University of North Texas Libraries, the Portal leverages the power of hundreds of content partners across the state to provide a vibrant, growing collection of resources."

"Despite California’s status as a free state, many Southern gold miners brought slaves with them to work the diggings during the Gold Rush. This presented an opportunity, as some of these men and women were able to purchase their freedom. Thomas Gilman (1830-1911) purchased his freedom for $1,000 in 1852. Born into slavery in Tennessee, Gilman was brought to California in 1850 to work in the gold mines near Shaw’s Flat. Within two years he earned enough money to free himself. He spent the rest of his life in Tuolumne County, mining and farming, until he passed away in 1911."

"Juneteenth is a celebration honoring the day when Black slaves were legally freed in the United States, June 19, 1865. It commemorates the day when General Gordon Granger rode into Galveston, Texas to announce the news that the slaves were free. States and cities around the country celebrate the holiday differently. Some have receptions, like the California State Library has. Others celebrate with parades, festivals, oral histories and readings, concerts and barbecues. Texas was the first state to declare Juneteenth a State Holiday. Forty-five states recognize Juneteenth as a state holiday or state holiday observance. California is one of those states."

Explore Visualizing Emancipation, "a map of slavery’s end during the American Civil War. It finds patterns in the collapse of southern slavery, mapping the interactions between federal policies, armies in the field, and the actions of enslaved men and women on countless farms and city blocks. It encourages scholars, students, and the public to examine the wartime end of slavery in place, allowing a rigorously geographic perspective on emancipation in the United States."

Find objects related to emancipation from the National Museum of African American History & Culture.