New Delhi: Due to mounting pressure, the US President Trump had to shift his election rally date by a day in Tulsa, Oklahoma as the rally date coincided with Juneteenth observed every year on June 19. Juneteenth Independence Day is also known as Emancipation Day  is celebrated in America and is an official holiday in the US state of Texas to commemorate the day that slavery was abolished in the state.


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What is Juneteenth?

On June 19, 1865, in Galveston, Texas, Union General Gordon Granger announced the federal orders that slavery had been abolished and that slaves were now free even though Emancipation Proclamation was made two years before. Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, which declared that “all persons held as slaves” within the states in rebellion “are, and henceforward shall be free.” Despite this in Texas, many slave owners continued to hold their slaves captive by hiding this information from them and holding them slaves for one more harvest season, as per the Congressional Research Service (CRS). Juneteenth is not an official American holiday but it is an official holiday in Texas and 44 other states.

In Tulsa, Oklahoma, June is also known for one of the worst massacres of Black people seen in U.S. History. The Tulsa Massacre was a result of an inflammatory report published in the Tulsa Tribune on May 31st, 1921 after a black man allegedly attacked a white woman on June 30th, 1921. He was arrested, but it stirred tensions between black and white-armed mobs. By the morning of June 1, 1921, the Greenwood area in the state was looted and burned down by white rioters more than 300 people lost their lives and hence, it is noted as one of the worst episodes of racial violence in US history

What happens during Juneteenth?

While on the very first Juneteenth, community-centric events such as parades, cookouts, prayer gatherings, historical and cultural readings, and musical performances were the norm, with time the day has evolved with people and communities developing their own traditions and customs. Juneteenth celebrations often include lectures and exhibitions on African American culture. The holiday is also a celebration of soul food and other food with African American influences. In Tourism Review International it says, "Barbecue is the centerpiece of most Juneteenth celebrations".

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Corporate push to make Juneteenth official holiday

This year after Twitter decided to observe Juneteenth as a company holiday, other companies like Google, Nike and NFL are following through. On June 9, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey tweeted, “Both Twitter and Square are making #Juneteenth (June 19th) a company holiday in the US, forevermore. A day for celebration, education, and connection.” The Election rally will now be conducted on June 20th 2020.