STATEWIDE — Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration commemorating the ending of slavery in the United States.  

Did you know that it got its start in Texas?

On June 19, 1865, Union soldiers, led by Major General Gordon Granger, landed at Galveston, Texas, with news that the war had ended and that the enslaved were now free.

This was 2.5  years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation — which had become official January 1, 1863.

Contrary to popular belief, the Emancipation Proclamation had little impact on the Texans (and other parts of the South) due to the minimal number of Union troops to enforce the new executive order, according to the Smithsonian Institute.

When Granger’s regiment arrived, forces were finally strong enough to influence and overcome the resistance.

One story goes that a messenger was murdered on his way to Texas with the news of freedom. Another, is that the news was deliberately withheld by the enslavers to maintain the labor force on the plantations. And still another, is that federal troops actually waited for the slave owners to reap the benefits of one last cotton harvest before going to Texas to enforce the Emancipation Proclamation.

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All of which, or none of these stories could be true. For whatever the reason, conditions in Texas remained status quo well beyond what was statutory.

Granger's first order of business was to read to the people of Texas, General Order No. 3, which he did, in Galveston, on June 19, 1865:

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 rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and free laborer.

The celebration on June 19 was coined "Juneteenth" and grew with more participation.

WATCH VIDEO ABOVE | While many celebrations took place over the weekend, Victoria Maranan spent some time at the Bullock Museum Tuesday morning to preview the museum's festivites including crafting a paper quilt. Activities start at 10 a.m.; museum admission is $9-$13.

Pictured, top row, R-L: Union solider reenactors perform at the 2017 Travis County Juneteenth celebration. (Coutresy/Travis County, Flickr), Union Gen. Gordon Granger (Courtesy/Library of Congress). Bottom row, R-L: Official Juneteenth Committee in East Woods Park, Austin, Texas, on June 19, 1900 (Couertesy/Austin History Center, Austin Public Library). Attendees of the 2011 Austin Juneteenth Parade (Courtesy/Austin Community College, Flickr).
Pictured, top row, R-L: Union solider reenactors perform at the 2017 Travis County Juneteenth celebration. (Coutresy/Travis County, Flickr), Union Gen. Gordon Granger (Courtesy/Library of Congress). Bottom row, R-L: Official Juneteenth Committee in East Woods Park, Austin, Texas, on June 19, 1900 (Couertesy/Austin History Center, Austin Public Library). Attendees of the 2011 Austin Juneteenth Parade (Courtesy/Austin Community College, Flickr).