Juneteenth: Union Soldiers Declare Slaves Free

Today, June 19, marks the day when the last remaining slaves in the United States were freed.

The day is known as Juneteenth. The year was 1865.

On June 19—two years after the Emancipation Proclamation went into effect in 1863—Union soldiers landed in Galveston, TX with news that the Civil War had ended and slaves had been freed.

Union General Gordon Granger reportedly read aloud the contents of “General Order No. 3,” proclaiming the law throughout Texas.

The freedom of slaves affected communities nationwide, and especially those seaside in Southern California, as U.S. Census Bureau numbers showed a steady increase in California's black population following Juneteenth.

Before Juneteenth, only 962 black people lived in California, according to census numbers from 1850 (during the California Gold Rush.) Then, in 1900, the census counted 11, 045 black people in California.

White population

Black population

(Source: U.S. Census Bureau's historical census statistics on population totals by race)

Now California, along with 37 other states, recognizes Juneteenth as a state holiday.

You can learn more about Juneteenth and its significance in American history at the Manhattan Beach Library, which is open Monday-Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

On Thursday, the library is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday hours are 12 noon to 6 p.m., Saturday hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

The library is closed Sundays.