Juneteenth celebrates emancipation of slavery in the United States

On this day in history, June 18, 1865, Union General Gordon Granger and 2,000 federal troops arrived on the island of Galveston, Texas, to take possession of the state and enforce the emancipation of its slaves. Standing on the balcony of Galveston’s Ashton Villa, June 19, Granger read the contents of ‘General Order No. 3’

“The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired labor. The freedmen are advised to remain quietly at their present homes and work for wages. They are informed that they will not be allowed to collect at military posts and that they will not be supported in idleness either there or elsewhere.”

Former slaves in Galveston rejoiced in the streets. Juneteenth celebrations began in Texas the following year. Across many parts of Texas, freed people pooled their funds to purchase land specifically for their communities and for increasingly large Juneteenth gatherings which includes Houston's Emancipation Park.

Juneteenth, also known as Juneteenth Independence Day, Freedom Day, or Emancipation Day, is a holiday in the United States that commemorates the announcement of the abolition of slavery in the U.S. state of Texas in 1865, and more generally the emancipation of African-American citizens throughout the United States. Juneteenth is recognized as a state holiday in some states, or a special day of observance in most states.

World Sickle Cell Day is also celebrated on June 19th, in conjunction with ‘Juneteenth,’ due to the high incidence of the Sickle-cell disease (SCD) among the black population with African origin. The sickle-cell disease (SCD) occurs more commonly among people whose ancestors lived in tropical and sub-tropical sub-saharan regions where malaria is or was common. Sickle-cell is also trans-ethnic though, not only affecting black populations with African origin, but also Arabic, Indian, and Caucasian populations from Southern Europe.

It is estimated that 500,000 babies are born every year with SCD; 50% of them will die before the age of 5. Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is the most prevalent genetic disease worldwide.