Juneteenth 2021: How Altadena Marks The End Of Slavery

ALTADENA, CA — As efforts to make Juneteenth a national holiday continue, people in Altadena are having celebrations of their own. Juneteenth, held annually on June 19, celebrates the end of slavery in the United States and the date many slaves in Texas finally found out they were free.

Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the end of slavery in the United States, according to Juneteenth.com. It is “a day, a week, and in some areas a month marked with celebrations, guest speakers, picnics and family gatherings.” In recent years, Juneteenth “commemorates African-American freedom and emphasizes education and achievement.”

Juneteenth being recognized at a federal level took another step closer to reality this week when the U.S. Senate unanimously passed a bill designating June 19 as a federal holiday. The bill is expected to pass the U.S. House of Representatives during a Wednesday vote before going to President Joe Biden to be signed into law.

The Altadena Historical Society will mark Juneteenth by holding a celebration on the life of Ellen Garrison Clark, a civil rights activist during the 1800s who lived in the Altadena-area near the end of her life.

“Ellen spent her life as a leader in the fight against slavery and an inspiring educator who touched the lives of countless people who were formerly enslaved,” the historical society said in a statement.

Ellen was buried in an unmarked grave in Mountain View Cemetery and the historical society will unveil a grave marker at her resting place as part of the celebration "so that she will not be forgotten." The celebration will be held Saturday, at 11 a.m. and can be attended in person at the cemetery or viewed online through the society's YouTube channel. Visit the historical society’s website for more information about the event.

Another Juneteenth celebration will be held Saturday at Loma Alta Park from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. hosted by the Therapeutic Play Foundation, San Gabriel Valley African American Infant and Maternal Mortality Community Action Team and the Black Mental Health Task Force.

The free family-friendly event will involve a "Freedom Day Walk," a resource fair and discussion panels on mental health and wellness in the Black community. Visit the event's site for more information and to RSVP.

A freedom march and block party will be held at Charles White Park starting at 4:30 p.m. Organized by Dena United, Altadena Arts, Soul Force Project and My TRIBE Rise, the event will feature live music, food, guided meditation and speakers.

Juneteenth is held on June 19 because that was the date in 1865 when Union Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, to announce that the Civil War had ended and all slaves were free. Many of the slaves in Texas had not known of President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, which had actually given them freedom more than two years earlier.

Granger read “General Order No. 3,” which stated, “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,” according to the city of Galveston, which has an historical marker for its connection to the holiday.

Henry Louis Gates Jr., a Harvard University professor and Black historian, wrote in The Root magazine that Juneteenth is “an occasion for gathering lost family members, measuring progress against freedom and inculcating rising generations with the values of self-importance and racial uplift.”

Most states have Juneteenth listed as an official holiday, although it is not a national holiday. In 1980, Texas became the first state to designate Juneteenth as a holiday. In the time since, 45 other states have decided to officially recognize the day, according to The New York Times.

Juneteenth celebrations have occurred in most states, according to Juneteenth.com. A number of cities and towns held events and parades for the 150th anniversary in 2015.

Also On Patch: What Is Juneteenth? 5 Things To Know About The Holiday That Marks The End Of Slavery

More and more places, such as Anne Arundel County, Maryland, are recognizing Juneteenth as an official holiday. County offices will be closed on Friday, June 18, in observance of the Saturday holiday this year, and Annapolis will host Maryland’s first Juneteenth festival with a parade through the state capital.

"Celebrating Juneteenth as an official county holiday demonstrates our county's true commitment to freedom and equality — for all," Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman said in a statement. "The growing national push for observance of Juneteenth is an important step as we move forward toward justice for this community, in light of centuries of racism, discrimination, and inequity."

Some major American brands — Twitter, Nike and the National Football League, included — have made Juneteenth a paid company holiday.