Friday, June 19, 2020

Juneteenth

Juneteenth is the only holiday celebrating the ending of slavery. The oldest in the USA. And it's from Texas!

"Although the Emancipation Proclamation had formally freed them almost two and a half years earlier and the American Civil War had largely ended with the defeat of the Confederate States in April, Texas was the most remote of the slave states, with a low presence of Union troops, so enforcement of the proclamation had been slow and inconsistent."

"...this day marks the emancipation of all slaves in the Confederacy, the institution of slavery was still legal and existed in the Union border states after June 19, 1865. Slavery in the United States did not officially end until the ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States on December 6, 1865, which abolished slavery entirely in all of the U.S. states and territories."

So I guess December 6th should be a celebration as well. Can't have too many celebrations about the abolition of slavery.

I'm hoping to someday have a house with a large living room that we can hold meditation gatherings. I hope to put up the vegan flag in one window. The Buddhist flag in another, and now I want the Juneteenth flag in another window.


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