On June 19, 1865, General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas with over 1800 Union troops declaring that the over 250,000 enslaved black people in the state were now freed by executive decree. This day is now known as America’s second Independence Day and is celebrated throughout the country, within the Black community, as “Juneteenth.”
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.
Even though the Emancipation Proclamation went into effect on January 1, 1863 by President Abraham Lincoln, Texas didn’t seem to get the message. The Denton Juneteenth website explains how there were rumors a messenger was shot and killed on his way to deliver the news, or perhaps enslavers kept the news from the enslaved people. No matter the reason, it wasn’t until June 19, 1865 that enslaved people of Texas knew they were indeed free, which is why “Juneteenth” is celebrated as Emancipation Day across the country – because there is no freedom unless we are all free.
In 1875, We Denton Do It goes into detail about how twenty-seven freed slaves and their families arrived in Denton from Dallas County’s White Rock settlement. They founded a neighborhood known as “Freedman Town” just southeast of the downtown square. As the community grew, the Fred Douglas School, Denton’s first “free colored school”, was opened in 1878.
Today, “Juneteenth” celebrations are held throughout the United States, including in Denton, Texas. We invite you to join the Denton community from June 17-20 for an incredible celebration. The schedule can be found at Denton Juneteenth and includes an art exhibit, parade, gospel concerts, children’s activities, and a live concert. We can’t wait to see you there.
Book your rooms today at the Best Western Premier Crown Chase in Denton, Texas.
Written by Monica Helm
Sources:
https://dentonjuneteenth.com/events-2/
https://dentonjuneteenth.com/2020/05/the-forgotten-history-of-juneteenth/
https://wedentondoit.com/blog/2015/6/15/back-in-the-day-juneteenth
https://wedentondoit.com/blog/2013/6/19/back-in-the-day-quakertown-park-part-1
[Ida Spikes Hill, Will Hill, and Ada Hill], photograph, 1910~;(https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth20749/: accessed June 9, 2026), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Other