Source: Ira L. Black – Corbis / Getty
Imagine this. June 19, 1865 unfolded as any other Monday for Billy McCrea. He freshened up, got dressed, and made his way through the slave quarters to his post. Perspiration formed along his brow as his body fought to stay cool in the midsummer, Jasper, Texas heat. Midday, the 13-year old’s attention was drawn from his work to the front yard when the familiar sounds of the plantation were interrupted by the hum of approaching horses, mules, and wagons. His eyes widened at the sight of the band of blue uniformed soldiers atop the herd. His heart fluttered as, armed with cannons, they delivered the message of his freedom.
A few hundred miles away, a parallel experience would forever mark 13-year old Harriet Smith’s life. Another troop of soldiers, on the same mission, had reached Hays County, Texas. Chaos and jubilation ensued as she and the other enslaved people learned of their emancipation. An unforgettable occurrence 200 years in the making. She watched as many left the plantation to be reunited with their families and relish in their new found freedom. Her own best friend disappeared on the horse of Union soldier never to be seen again.
The “big break up” between the South and slavery was like the end of a relationship that should have never been. The final sigh of relief came two and a half years after its intended date. Since then, the 19th of June has commemorated the day justice was served for the last of the enslaved in the Confederate states. Almost two centuries later, Juneteenth, as its affectionately called, continues to be a day that symbolizes justice, freedom, and new beginnings.
In a sense, 1865 marked a year of Jubilee. This Biblical observance was a time of divine rest. As described in Leviticus 25, the year of Jubilee was “set apart as holy.” God explained to the Israelites, “It will be a jubilee year for you, when each of you may return to the land that belonged to your ancestors and return to your own clan.” The year of jubilee was also a time of God’s supernatural provision. He commanded the Israelites to allow the land to rest by not planting or pruning their fields but promised an overflow in return. God commanded every 50 years to be a time to proclaim freedom throughout the land for all who live there. Debts owed were forgiven and, most significantly, all Israelite slaves and their children were set free.
As we celebrate Juneteenth this year we remember the survival, sacrifice, and strength of those who experienced the joy of this day first hand. The formerly enslaved who, according the National Museum of African American History and Culture, “pushed for even more radical change post-emacipation.” Those who not even one generation removed from slavery reunified families, established schools, ran for political office, pushed radical legislation and even sued slaveholders for compensation. We are inspired and empowered by them to continue the work to transform our lives and country.
*Billy McCrea and Harriet Smith’s stories are imaginations based on the live accounts they gave in the docuseries, Voices Remembering Slavery: Freed People Tell Their Stories.
