JUNETEENTH is Friday. But…Why is Virginia Celebrating a “Born in Texas” Holiday?

[This an updated REPRINT by the author from a June 17, 2020 Richmond PATCH article]

By STEVE SPACEK June 16, 2026 Washington DC area resident and Texas Native

Virginia, the northernmost 'Old South' State and a cradle of the 1861-65 Confederate States, has somehow, for at least a few recent years [prior to 2020], made a note to itself to "sorta notice" Juneteenth, the oldest known commemoration of the end of slavery in the United States. That action was just to typically issue a little, publicly noticed annual proclamation, as also practiced by many of neighbor 'Southern' regimes to the south and west.

But the celebration had roots over 1, 200 miles away in Galveston, then the second largest city in Texas, the westernmost part of the Old South. Texas was an embracer of a Confederate way of life that Virginia helped start, developed over 400 years earlier, with a star attraction: the ‘peculiar institution,” of non white human slavery.

On June 16, 2020 former Governor Ralph Northam announced that Juneteenth would become a permanent paid state holiday in the Commonwealth. Virginia’s public employees would be given a day off from now on, every June 19th. A year later, on June 17, 2021 President Joe Biden signed legislation making June 19 a Federal Holiday. All States, Territories and the District of Columbia could now officially recognize and celebrate America's ending of illegal bondages between slaves and their masters.

However, before all that....On June 19, 1980, Texas!--the state won from the hard fighting efforts of Virginia-born Sam Houston and his Texian Army against the Republic of Mexico’s murderous government-- became the first in America and the South with the legislative courage to make Juneteenth an official holiday for governance--a day all the public could enjoy!

The partying and recognition of slavery's final days started almost immediately in Texas, 154 years before Northam's, 155 years before Biden’s actions. 2,500 Union troops arrived at Galveston [With approximately 7,000 residents Galveston was Texas’ second largest city in 1865. Only San Antonio’s was larger, with its 8,200 population]. U.S. General Gordon Granger read out General Orders Number Three (3) to those gathered around: “The People of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive [Abraham Lincoln] of the United States, all slaves are free!” Henceforth, more than 250,000 enslaved black people in the Lone Star State were free, excitedly calling the day "Juneteenth."

I am glad Virginia, the other 11 "Old South" States—and now out entire nation!-- are finally willing to recognize that celebratory feeling of the "we wont forget what slavery did to us!" kind of happiness Texans wanted to outwardly share, especially with once-Confederate governments. Those officials from Richmond to Tallahassee to Nashville to Baton Rouge—and now the USA-- who for years were indifferent, did not want to listen nor celebrate emotions coming from 'loud and proud FREE Texans"...until RIGHT NOW!!