Juneteenth finally became a Federal holiday last year.

This day commemorates the final emancipation of African slaves in America.

On January 1st 1863 President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which was intended to free all slaves in the United States. However, this was not an era of instantaneous messaging.

Word of freedom was slow in reaching many of the Southern states. For over two years hundreds of thousands of Africans were illegally enslaved.

Finally, in 1865, word reached the citizens of Texas. On June 19th of that year, Gordon Granger, a Union Army General announced Order No. 3, in Galveston, which freed the final population of slaves.

Equality is still a struggling, painful work in progress. We should never forget the horrendous sacrifices slaves made to advance White American culture.

Note: all images I borrowed from Facebook or internet clip art sites.