Juneteenth, also called Emancipation Day, celebrates the end of slavery and freedom on June 19, 1865, in eastern Texas and portions of the surrounding states. On that day, General Gordon Granger landed with Federal troops in Galveston, Texas, with the intention of enforcing President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation of January 1, 1863. The end of slavery was a gradual process, occurring as news of the proclamation reached outlying towns and states. Juneteenth was probably a shortened version of June 19th. A proclamation from the president stated that all slaves were now free, and the relationship between master and slave was now employer and employee: “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.” Beginning the year following this Texas event, 1866, large celebrations to rival the Fourth of July began, including prayer services, inspirational speakers, reading of the Emancipation Proclamation, storytelling by former slaves, and traditional food and games. Soon neighboring states such as Louisiana, Arkansas, and Oklahoma were adding celebrations. Throughout Texas, ex-slaves purchased land for their Juneteenth gatherings. June 19 was declared a legal holiday in Texas in 1980. For more on this holiday, visit the Texas State Library and Archives Commission or The Worldwide Juneteenth Celebration.
Daily Calendar for Monday, June 19, 2023
Question of the Day
What is the widest tree known to man?
The tree with the largest circumference ever recorded was 190 feet around, a European chestnut known as the “Tree of the Hundred Horses” on Mount Etna, Sicily. Measured in 1770, the tree is now in three, widely separated parts. The biggest tree in the United States is the giant sequoia “General Sherman” in Sequoia National Park, California, with a girth of 102.6 feet.
Advice of the Day
Knowledge and timber shouldn’t be used until they are seasoned.
Home Hint of the Day
When you paint a window sash, allow a slight bead of paint to come over onto the glass, covering the window putty. This ensures keeping water out. It takes a little practice to do, but it’s worth it.
Word of the Day
Botanophobia
Fear of plants
Puzzle of the Day
No more stars (Change these words into a single word.)
Astronomers
Born
- Blaise Pascal (mathematician and physicist) –
- Guy Lombardo (band leader) –
- Lou Gehrig (baseball player) –
- Salman Rushdie (author) –
- Phylicia Rashad (actress) –
- Kathleen Turner (actress) –
- Paula Abdul (singer & television personality) –
- Blake Woodruff (actor) –
Died
- J. M. Barrie (author) –
- Ethel and Julius Rosenberg (convicted spies) –
- Ed Wynn (actor) –
- James Gandolfini (actor) –
Events
- First real baseball game with set rules was played in Hoboken, New Jersey–
- Slavery abolished in U.S. territories–
- The first Father’s Day was celebrated in Spokane, Washington –
- The U.S. government adopted an 8-hour day for all its employees–
- Mine disaster occurred in Hillcrest, Alberta–
- Establishment of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in the United States, regulating interstate and foreign communications by radio, telegraph and cable–
- Wham-O filed to register Hula Hoop trademark–
- Garfield the Cat made his comic strip debut–
- A 5.0-magnitude earthquake hit off the northern California coast–
Weather
- New Brunswick, New Jersey, was hit by a tornado–
- Cloudburst near Custer Creek, Montana, dumped an estimated 4 to 7 inches of rain–
- Hurricane struck fishing fleet from Escuminac, New Brunswick–
- 100 degrees F, Billings, Montana–
- Close to 6 inches of rain fell within 75 minutes, Houston, Texas–