What is Juneteenth?
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What is Juneteenth?
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Intercessors might have heard of a new holiday: Juneteenth. But what exactly is Juneteenth, and why is it seemingly so popular today?
The history of Juneteenth
Juneteenth, a portmanteau of “June” and “nineteenth,” refers to June 19, 1865, when African slaves in Galveston, Texas, were delivered the news of their freedom. Coming months after the defeat of the South in the U.S. Civil War and over two years after President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, this day has come to be known as the proper end of slavery. Therefore, Americans celebrate Juneteenth as an independence day.
It is important to know that Juneteenth is not a new holiday, it has actually been celebrated in Texas since 1980. It took several decades, however, for the day to be recognized as the national holiday it is today.
Although every state came to recognize Juneteenth in one form or another, it was not until 2020 that the push to recognize the holiday national gained serious momentum. Following the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and other black Americans, countless protests broke out across the country as the Black Lives Matter movement once again took center stage. Among the calls for defunding the police was a push to nationally recognize Juneteenth. On June 17, 2021, President Biden signed a bipartisan bill into law, formally recognizing Juneteenth as the eleventh federal holiday.
The significance and celebration of Juneteenth
It would be wonderful for Juneteenth to be a positive time of the year filled with joy and celebration, marking the end of what is arguably the darkest stain on American history. All Americans could celebrate the unique melting pot that is the United States.
A year after its institution, many seem to be unsure over how Juneteenth should be celebrated.
Let’s pray that Juneteenth be a day of peace, joy, and unity. Juneteenth is a special day with an incredibly important meaning in American history. Let’s ask the Lord, “How should I celebrate this holiday?”
(Photo credit: Canva.)
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Help us LORD to be identified as YOUR children, PERIOD! Not as any race, creed, or color! Juneteenth as a national holiday because some blacks in Texas didn’t know they were emancipated? Strange! I am Black and I would rather the Emancipation Proclamation be a national holiday (if it isn’t!) Most blacks knew about the Emancipation Proclamation before 1865! Especially the Blacks in the Northern States, most of whom weren’t slaves! FATHER GOD let us be known by the content of our character! Period! in JESUS NAME! Amen!
A parallel to the Church of today. There are segments that continue to live as slaves rather than Free Citizens in the Kingdom of God.
No longer slaves but sons of the Living God.
This should not be a national holiday. It was a local event that followed the war of aggression. The only thing worth mentioning about June 19, 1865 is that a notice was delivered to this little, unimportant town on Galveston Island on the Gulf of Mexico to officially inform the people that the Emancipation Proclamation had been implemented and to reassert that slaves were free.
For the Biden administration and congress to capitulate to the 2020 destruction and violent protests of the woke crowd and Black Lives Matter insurrectionists and give them an illegitimate holiday shows the weakness and ignorance of the reality in the tearing down of our once great Christian Nation, founded on truth and integrity.
It is too bad that it took the evil of George Floyd to recognize this date. It is amazing how evil can be turned for good.
This is not for good! Its another divisive tactic by satan!
Is. 52:10
“The Lord will lay bare HIS HOLY ARM in the sight of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth will see the Salvation of OUR GOD. ”
Amen!
The Emancipation Proclamation marked the end of slavery – this is the day of celebrating freedom in the United States! “Juneteenth” is another effort to placate a certain group of people, and create further discord between them. United we stand.
This can be used as a lead in to a gospel presentation. Mention that about 1800 years before the Emancipation Proclamation, another proclamation was given- WE ARE NO LONGER SLAVES TO SIN! Jesus came to this world to free us from sin and its wages, i.e. DEATH. Pray for Americans ( and all nations) to come to realize this. This is the answer to all the follies that are going on today; but, like the slaves in Texas in the 1860s, many have not received and accepted this GOOD NEWS.
Eloquently written! Thank you for sharing my friend 🤗
Until I read IFA’s explanation of the new federal holiday I did not bother to get total clarification in my thinking. It just seemed like it was another administrative action to “get another day off”. Thank you for the enlightenment and I concur that abolishment of slavery in our country was monumental and should be commemorated. I pray that freedom to be all we can be in keeping with God given rights should be the focus not just here in America but globally, now and forever more. I add that there are other slave like activities in this country and globally being forced on humankind that require immediate abolishment. Let’s start with abolishment of the current administration.
This holiday should be a day that God is lifted up for answering the delivery from slavery. It shouldn’t be a day to honor criminals or criminal groups. May anyone who doesn’t see the true intentions of Christ in this be given a revelation.
I am visiting Washington, DC at the moment. Yesterday my visit was canceled to the Museum of the Bible bc it was closed will be til Monday. The reason? Streets were blocked for this national holiday celebrated here for several days!
The District of Columbia is not a State bc our govt is for all Americans. I celebrate the freedom of slavery, but shouldn’t we be kinder n more respective of all Americans who come to visit our nation’s capital? I feel bullied n deprived by those who are celebrating excessively , their freedom! I m of color n am free bc whom
The Son sets free is free indeed n operates with the law of love!
Barbara Tengan…
AMEN & AMEN ❤🙏
Even if this so called administration meant for this to divide us even further, God can and will make something wonderful come of it!
There are still many forms of slavery to battle. Americans of all races can be enslaved by things like student loan debt and other poor financial decisions. We are enslaved by party politics that blind us to truth. We are enslaved by drugs, sex, alcohol, tobacco and other addictions. Our own government seeks to enslave us in political correctness, wokeism and groupthink. Identity politics, affirmative action, and government assistance programs are all forms of slavery. True freedom can only be found in the teachings of our Lord and Savior, Jesus. If you want to celebrate freedom, be a slave to Christ.
What happened in the 1800 with slavery is despicable to think that could happen to a fellow human being. The most despicable sin and stain on America is abortion. Also the human trafficking for sex and labor of children of all races. Biden does nothing. Don’t be fooled by this man
Isaiah 12:4-5 – 4. And in that day shall ye say, Praise the Lord, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted. 5 Sing unto the Lord; for he hath done excellent things: this is known in all the earth.