Juneteenth, celebrated every year on June 19th, marks a moment in American history, the day in 1865 when enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, were finally informed of their freedom, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed by President Abraham Lincoln.

Why the two-year delay? Democrats!

At the time of the Civil War, the Democratic Party, especially in the South, was largely pro-slavery. Many Democrats vehemently opposed President Lincoln, a Republican, and his Emancipation Proclamation of 1863. They saw it as an attack on their economic system and way of life.

Texas became a refuge for slaveholders fleeing Union forces in other Southern states. Many brought enslaved people with them, believing Texas would remain a safe haven for slavery. This only reinforced efforts to suppress news of emancipation.

When President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, it applied only to Confederate states in rebellion. However, the Proclamation couldn't be enforced in places still under Confederate control, like Texas. The Union Army had little presence there, and local Democrat authorities had no intention of spreading the news.

Many slaveholders simply didn’t tell enslaved people they were free, so they could continue to exploit their labor for as long as possible.

What Changed?

Freedom officially came to Galveston on June 19, 1865, when Union General Gordon Granger arrived with federal troops and issued General Order No. 3, declaring that all enslaved people were free. This marked the beginning of emancipation enforcement in Texas.

How Did Juneteenth Become a Recognized Holiday?

• State of Texas:  Juneteenth became an official state holiday in Texas in 1980, thanks to the efforts of State Representative Al Edwards, a Black Democrat from Houston, who is widely regarded as the  “Father of Juneteenth” for his work in making the holiday legally recognized.

• United States: After the death of George Floyd and the widespread violent 2020 protests against racial injustice, President Joe Biden, himself a Democrat racist, signed a law making Juneteenth a federal holiday on June 17, 2021.

Bottom Line

Due to Democrat pandering to a long-time coalition member, this day has morphed beyond a historical oddity into a celebration of Black resilience, culture, and the ongoing pursuit of justice and equality.

What it should be is a reminder that the Democrats were the party of slavery, segregation, Jim Crow, the KKK, and opposition to civil rights legislation.

In a classic case of projection, the Democrats now blame the Republicans for all of their transgressions.

We are so screwed.

-- Steve