Mounce: City of Edinburg celebrates America’s Second Independence Day

EDINBURG, TEXAS – Wednesday, June 19th, is “Juneteenth.” It is, in reality, America’s “second Independence Day.” Slavery had been abolished in the Confederacy on January 1st, 1863. But, in Texas, white landlords did not share that information with their slaves; they connived to squeeze out as many months or years more of free labor as they could.

However, on  June 19th, 1865 (hence, June-nineteenth or “Juneteenth”) slaves and others in Texas were told of President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation. General Gordon Granger made the announcement in Galveston, Texas. Union soldiers spread the word. (Only with the Thirteenth Amendment, were all slaves in America finally freed, at least legally.)

The City of Edinburg, Texas, celebrated that event on Saturday, June 15, 2024. Present to make the 31st proclamation of Juneteenth for Edinburg was Mayor Ramiro Garza. After the Flag Salute, and stirring rendition of the Star Spangled Banner by Ms Erika Muñoz, Bishop Michael A. Smith gave the Invocation (later, the Benediction.)

Before other speakers in the well-organized program, Ms Jeniah Destiny performed a powerful, interpretative dance of sorrow and celebration. Soul music and gospel music were provided by Ms Angel Ybarra and choir, the audience of over 100 joining in exuberantly. Even more music was offered by Juan C. and the Key Limes.

How, you ask, was there time for history, for explanation? The timing was clipped. Each respected other speakers and the audience, which listened intently and participated cleverly. Major speakers shared their research.

Professor Roseann Bacha-Garza, of UTRGV, in her “Black RGV History,” focused on the newly bestowed national recognition of the Rio Grande Valley as a major part of the southern “Underground Railroad.” She also spoke, emotionally, about the growing interest and self-awareness of Black families and “mixed” families in the Valley.

Guest Speaker, Ms Loretha Laws, a Houston educator, added information about the design and symbolism of the Juneteenth flag (red and blue, as with both US and Texas flags; the Lone Star, plus the halo of golden freedom surrounding all.) 

Juneteenth was recognized as a federal holiday in 2021, when President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law. Fly your flags on Wednesday, June 19th–Juneteenth–and again, soon, on the 4th of July! 

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