From Slavery to Oppression: The Enduring Legacy of Juneteenth
From Slavery to Oppression: The Enduring Legacy of Juneteenth
Juneteenth, celebrated as the end of slavery, was in reality a drawn-out and violent process marked by ongoing oppression and the persistent denial of true freedom for Black Americans.
The Facts:
On June 19, 1865, Major General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, with over 2,000 federal troops to deliver the long-awaited news of freedom to the more than 250,000 enslaved Black people in the state. This date, which came two years after President Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation, is now celebrated as Juneteenth, a federal holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States. However, the announcement on that fateful day did not immediately or fully liberate the enslaved population in Texas. Most white Texans wanted to keep Black people as close to their former enslaved status as possible. As a result, they strongly opposed any measures that might elevate Blacks to a competitive social, political, or economic position. Enslavers across the state actively resisted Granger's order, hiding the news of emancipation from the people they had enslaved. Many Black Texans were forced to continue laboring under the oppressive rule of ruthless plantation owners, with some even being killed by their captors rather than granted their freedom. It took nearly a year for the Union Army to systematically march across the state and enforce Granger's order, freeing the remaining enslaved individuals. During this period, violence and brutality against African Americans escalated, with reports of Black people being hunted down by bloodhounds, shot, and murdered outright by resentful white Texans who refused to accept the end of slavery.
Even after the formal abolition of slavery with the ratification of the 13th Amendment in December 1865, the institution continued to persist in various forms. The 13th Amendment contained an exception clause that permitted slavery as punishment for crime, leading to the exploitative practice of convict leasing, where Black individuals were unjustly imprisoned and forced to provide unpaid labor, often under brutal conditions. In "Slavery by Another Name," Douglas Blackmon highlights how the convict leasing system in Texas reintroduced forced labor for Black people. Whites viewed this as a practical way to cut prison costs and maintain the social hierarchy by subjugating Blacks.
Additionally, the Juneteenth order issued by Granger contained a clause that advised the "freedmen" to "remain at their present homes and work for wages," effectively setting the stage for the implementation of oppressive laws which came from the Texas state constitutional convention in 1866 adopting restrictive Black Codes that severely limited African Americans' freedom. Unemployed African Americans were often forced to work for white guardians without pay, and quitting could lead to imprisonment. They faced fines for curfew violations, possessing firearms, or objectionable behavior, and were barred from public facilities, testifying against whites, serving on juries or in militias, and voting.
Furthermore, some enslavers sought to evade emancipation by fleeing with their enslaved people, taking them to Cuba and Brazil, where slavery had not yet been abolished. The kidnapping and displacement of Black individuals struck fear and uncertainty into the hearts of those still under the control of their former captors, without the protection of Union troops.
The View:
It is clear that the events surrounding Juneteenth were far more complex and nuanced than the simplified narrative of enslaved people in Texas suddenly gaining their freedom. The reality was a prolonged and arduous struggle, marked by resistance, violence, and the persistent oppression of Black Americans, even in the aftermath of emancipation. Juneteenth should not be viewed as the moment of Black freedom, but rather as a significant milestone in the long-running and ever-evolving fight for true liberation.
The idea of freedom for Black people in America is continuously being negotiated and contested, and Juneteenth marks an evolving and expanding project of American democracy that is never complete. The emancipation of Juneteenth was not true freedom, but rather a "quasi freedom" or "ostensible freedom" with countless strings attached, where Black people were still subjected to extensive policing, restricted movement, and denied basic rights and opportunities. Various systems of oppression have emerged to replace the brutality of slavery, and the fight for true liberation is an ongoing battle.
TLDR:
The announcement of emancipation on Juneteenth did not immediately or fully liberate the enslaved population in Texas.
Many white Texans opposed measures that might elevate Blacks to a competitive social, political, or economic position, actively resisting the order and hiding the news of emancipation.
Black Texans were forced to continue laboring under the oppressive rule of plantation owners, and some were even killed by their captors.
Even after the formal abolition of slavery with the 13th Amendment, the institution continued to persist in various forms, such as the exploitative practice of convict leasing.
The Juneteenth order contained a clause that advised the "freedmen" to "remain at their present homes and work for wages," setting the stage for the implementation of oppressive Black Codes in Texas.
Juneteenth should be viewed as a significant milestone in the long-running and ever-evolving fight for true liberation, rather than the moment of Black freedom.
Know More:
What is Juneteenth, and why is it important?
Why all Americans should honor Juneteenth
Insights From:
On Juneteenth, Freedom Came With Strings Attached - The New York Times
Why Juneteenth didn’t actually end slavery in Texas - The Washington Post