Weeks after the Civil War ended, Union troops marched into Galveston, Texas on June 19, 1865 with two goals in mind. The first was to take control of the state and help ensure that Texas successfully rejoined the United States of America. The second was to deliver stunning news--all enslaved people in the former Confederacy would now be freed. The order, delivered to the citizens of Galveston, read as follows:
"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."
Texas was the last of the Confederate states in which enslavement continued even though the Emancipation Proclamation to end slavery was issued in 1863. That momentous day in Galveston later came to be known as Juneteenth (or Freedom Day).
Though Juneteenth has been observed since 1865, its significance only began receiving national attention within the past few years. In 2021, Juneteenth was officially declared a federal holiday by President Joe Biden.
"The emancipation of enslaved Black Americans didn't mark the end of America's work to deliver on the promise of equality; it only marked the beginning," Biden said just minutes before signing the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act. "To honor the true meaning of Juneteenth, we have to continue toward that promise because we've not gotten there yet."
As we honor the significance of Juneteenth, here are a few ways you can celebrate!
- Educate yourself about the history of Juneteenth and reflect.
- Participate in a community event honoring Freedom Day.
- Visit a local African American History Museum or visit one online.
- Get involved in your local community to help eradicate racism and issues that perpetuate discrimination.
Another way to show your support is by patronizing Black-owned businesses, either in person or online. We proudly partner with Black-owned vendors such as Mommy Wipes, Plink, and 3 Sprouts, and many of our Black Brand Ambassadors own and operate their own professional organizing businesses.
One of those Brand Ambassadors is Ina Darley, CEO of Immaculate Touch. "Immaculate Touch originally started out as a residential cleaning company that quickly evolved into a professional organizing business," she says. "The main issue my clients were having was not understanding each item in their house needed a permanent home. Once I created the roadmap of categories and sections for my clients, it became very easy for them to maintain in their everyday lives. I started noticing the mental relief organizing contributed to every home I went into and that's what keeps me going in this line of work. I'm so elated to have the opportunity to be a Brand Ambassador with The Container Store because it gives me an opportunity to provide my clients with some of the best products the market can offer."
The Container Store Brand Ambassador Ina Darley
We hope you'll join us in celebrating Freedom Day and the promises of a better tomorrow for all.
