Hello everyone,

Welcome to a special episode of Ken Reads the Classics.  Today we celebrate Juneteenth, also known as Liberation Day, Freedom Day, and Emancipation Day. In honor of this day, I thought I would give a brief history and then read the General Granger read on that momentous day in 1865.

After Robert E. Lee surrendered to Loyal Union Forces, the United States of America sent Army General Gordon Granger to Texas with 2,000 troops to occupy that state.  He arrived on Galveston Island on June 18th 1865 and on June 19th, He stood on the balcony of Galveston's Ashton Villa, then read "General Order No. 3", announcing the total emancipation of those held as slaves.

It reads as follows:

The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired labor. The freedmen are advised to remain quietly at their present homes and work for wages. They are informed that they will not be allowed to collect at military posts and that they will not be supported in idleness either there or elsewhere.[16]

There the order ends. I encourage you all to learn more about Juneteenth and our country's troubled history regarding slavery and racial injustice; so that we can all learn how to move forward and heals those wounds.

God bless and enjoy your day.