Bill Federer, an American author and speaker focusing on religion and history, dives deep into the rich stories surrounding Juneteenth. He uncovers the often overlooked details of the Republican Party's crucial role in emancipation and how Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation had limitations. Federer discusses the significance of the 13th Amendment and spotlights the historical heroes like Frederick Douglass. He emphasizes the need for a comprehensive understanding of these pivotal moments to celebrate freedom authentically.
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Juneteenth Celebrates Delayed Freedom
Juneteenth marks the day Union General Gordon Granger announced freedom to enslaved Texans in 1865, over two years after the Emancipation Proclamation.
It celebrates the enforcement of freedom where Confederate control delayed the news, highlighting delayed emancipation in Texas.
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13th Amendment Completed Emancipation
The 13th Amendment was necessary because the Emancipation Proclamation only freed slaves in states in rebellion, not border states or Union-controlled areas.
America was among the first major nations to abolish slavery, showing leadership despite the horrific cost of civil war.
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Republicans Founded to End Slavery
The Republican Party was founded to oppose slavery and polygamy, with Abraham Lincoln as its first Republican president.
Democrats of the era largely supported slavery, with laws prohibiting slave education and strong Confederate defense of the institution.
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Written after his travels in the United States, 'Democracy in America' is a comprehensive study of American society and government. Tocqueville examines the democratic revolution and its impact on American life, discussing topics such as the sovereignty of the people, the role of civil society, the dangers of the tyranny of the majority, and the influence of religion and individualism. The book is a philosophical and political analysis that aims to understand why republican representative democracy succeeded in the United States while failing in other places, and it offers insights into the future of democracy both in America and globally[2][3][4].
Freedom rings through history on June 19th – Juneteenth – marking the moment in 1865 when Union General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas with life-changing news for the last enslaved Americans. "The people of Texas are informed that all slaves are free," his General Order No. 3 proclaimed, finally bringing Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation to this final Confederate holdout two and a half years after it was issued.
Yet the full story of Juneteenth reveals a rich historical tapestry often overlooked in contemporary tellings. The Republican Party, founded in 1854 specifically to combat slavery, championed this freedom through their first president, Abraham Lincoln. Following a conflict that claimed hundreds of thousands of lives, the Union victory didn't just end a war – it transformed a nation's moral foundations.
While we celebrate June 19th as the day freedom finally reached Texas, it's crucial to understand that the Emancipation Proclamation itself had limitations. It applied only to Confederate states in rebellion, leaving slavery intact in Union-loyal border states like Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland and Missouri. This explains why the 13th Amendment, passed later in 1865, was necessary to constitutionally abolish slavery throughout the entire United States.
The journey to freedom involved countless heroes, from Frederick Douglass (a Republican and Lincoln advisor who raised Black regiments to fight for the Union) to the thousands of Union soldiers who gave their lives. As Booker T. Washington poignantly described the moment freedom was announced on his plantation: "My mother leaned over and kissed her children while tears of joy ran down her cheeks. She explained this was the day for which she had been so long praying but fearing she would never live to see."
Juneteenth reminds us that America's story contains both profound struggles and remarkable progress. When the 13th Amendment passed, America became just the fourth major nation worldwide to abolish slavery – ahead of more than 120 others. This holiday offers an opportunity to honor those who fought for freedom, recognize how far we've come, and recommit to the ongoing work of creating a more perfect union where equality isn't just proclaimed but fully realized.
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